CBI withheld allocation policy info, says Balwa

Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa on Monday charged the CBI with withholding crucial documents relating to discussions between the then minister of external affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, and the then solicitor general, GE Vahanvati, on spectrum allocation policy.

Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa on Monday charged the CBI with withholding crucial documents relating to discussions between the then minister of external affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, and the then solicitor general, GE Vahanvati, on spectrum allocation policy.

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"There was a personal discussion between the then minister of external affairs (Mukherjee) and the solicitor general (Vahanvati) on the allocation policy. The CBI should place all the documents before this court," Balwa's counsel Majeed Memon told special judge OP Saini.

He also accused the investigating agency of adopting a "selective approach" in arresting people in the scam.

"You (CBI) have just picked up one man of your choice from one point and the other from another point. The CBI is blowing up the case so that the court would be hesitant to consider liberty of a person even after months. It is guilty of misleading the court," Memon said in his argument.

Balwa, lodged in Tihar Jail since February 8 this year, said he was not finding fault with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who supported the 'right policy'. "The Prime Minister had simply supported a policy that was entirely consonant with Trai recommendations and the 10th five year plan, which talked of increasing tele-density, non-revision of prices and not to auction spectrum," his counsel said, opposing framing of charges against Balwa.

The Swan Telecom promoter also questioned the CBI's estimate of exchequer loss.

"The CBI must answer as to what is the actual loss to the state exchequer. It (loss) is the basis of the prosecution and it has to be supported with documentation," Memon added.

The CBI should have written a letter to the prime minister or the finance minister to know the actual loss to the exchequer due to the scam, he added.
With pti inputs