2G: Raja seeks copy of chargesheet against Ruias

Former telecom minister A Raja and 16 co-accused, against whom the trial has already begun in the 2G case, today told a Delhi court that they be given copies of the third chargesheet filed against Essar group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia and six others in the matter.

Former telecom minister A Raja and 16 co-accused, against whom the trial has already begun in the 2G case, today told a Delhi court that they be given copies of the third chargesheet filed against Essar group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia and six others in the matter.

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Responding to the demand, special CBI judge O P Saini said the present accused may be supplied copies of the fresh chargesheet after he was convinced that it would "impact" their case.

"I am a judge. I recognise my duties. If it (chargesheet) impacts you (other 17 accused), then I will surely supply the charge sheet to you," the judge said, adding "Let me decide on it first." The court's observation came when defence counsel Vijay Aggarwal said as the CBI had filed the second supplementary chargesheet in the same case, the present set of accused be also supplied the same.

"This is a second supplementary charge sheet in the case and if this is not an independent charge sheet then it should be supplied to us as well," he said.

Anshuman Ruia, Ravi Ruia, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband I P Khaitan and Essar Group director (Strategy and Planning) Vikas Saraf have been made accused by the CBI in its third chargesheet arising out of the probe in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Besides these five, Loop Telecom Pvt Ltd, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holding have been named as accused in the charge sheet filed yesterday in the special court.

The court has fixed December 17 for taking cognizance of the 105-page-long charge sheet for prosecution on offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the eight accused.