More articles by

Lakshmi Subramanian
Lakshmi Subramanian

2G SCAM VERDICT

The infamous 2G scam: A chronology of events

a-raja-2g-scam-verdict-pti Former telecom minister A. Raja | PTI

The verdict on one of the biggest scams that shook the nation is all set to be delivered in a while from now. The verdict on whether former telecom minister A. Raja masterminded the biggest scam and if DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV received kickbacks from the corporates will be out in a while. Raja is accused by CBI for misallocating airwaves and licences to the cell phone network companies.

The CAG said the misallocation caused Rs.1.76 lakh crore loss to the exchequer. The CBI in its chargesheet said the loss was Rs.309,84,00,00,000. The ED in a separate case filed traced the money trail and said Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV received kickbacks worth Rs.214 crore.

Here is a recap of the mega scam which shook the nation in 2010-11 and the chronology of events.

May 2007: DMK’s organising secretary A. Raja takes over as telecom minister.

August 2007: The process of allotment of 2G Spectrum along with UAS licence initiated by department of telecom (DoT).

September 25, 2007: Telecom ministry issues press note, fixing deadline for application as October 1, 2007.

October 1, 2007: DoT receives 575 applications by 46 firms.

November 2, 2007: PM writes to Raja to ensure fair licence allocation and proper revision of fee. Raja writes to PM allegedly rejecting many of his recommendations.

November 22, 2007: Finance ministry writes to DoT raising concerns over the procedure adopted.

January 10, 2008: DoT decides to issue licences on first-come-first-served basis (FCFS), preponing cut-off date to September 25. Later in the day, DoT says those who apply between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm would be issued licences.

2008: Swan Telecom, Unitech and Tata Teleservices sell off a part of their stakes at much higher rates to Etisalat, Telenor and DoCoMo respectively.

May 4, 2009: NGO Telecom Watchdog complains to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on the illegalities in the 2G spectrum allocation to Loop Telecom.

2009: CVC directs CBI to investigate the matter.

July 1, 2009: Single judge of Delhi HC holds change of cut-off date as illegal. S-Tel had moved the petition.

October 21, 2009: CBI files FIR against “unknown officers of DoT and unknown private persons/ companies and others“.

Oct 22, 2009: CBI raids DoT offices.

Nov 16, 2009: CBI seeks help from Directorate General of Income Tax for information on lobbyist Niira Radia and records pertaining to middlemen in award of 2G spectrum licences.

Nov 20, 2009: Information by IT dept shows role of corporate players in influencing policies of DoT via illegal means. Shows Radia directly in touch with Raja.

Mar 31, 2010: CAG report notes “whole process of issue of licence lacked fairness and transparency“.

May 6, 2010: Telephonic conversation between Raja and Radia made public by the media.

May 2010: Government constitutes GoM for allocation of 3G spectrum, reducing DoT under Raja as mere implementing body.

August 18, 2010: HC refuses to direct PM to decide on a complaint by Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy seeking sanction to prosecute Raja for his alleged involvement in 2G scam.

September 13, 2010: SC asks government, Raja to reply within 10 days to three petitions alleging a Rs 70,000 crore scam in the granting of telecom licences in 2008.

September 24, 2010: Swamy moves SC seeking direction to PM to sanction prosecution of Raja.

September 27, 2010: Enforcement Directorate informs SC of probe against firms suspected to have violated FEMA. Says can’t deny or confirm now Raja’s involvement in the scam.

October 2010: SC asks government to respond to CAG report about the scam. Pulls up CBI for its tardy progress in probe.

November 10, 2010: CAG submits report on 2G spectrum to government stating loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to exchequer.

November 11, 2010: DoT files affidavit in SC; says CAG did not have the authority to question the policy decision as per which licence were issued to new players in 2008.

November 14-15, 2010: Raja resigns as telecom minister. Kapil Sibal given additional charge of telecom ministry.

February 10, 2011: SC asks CBI to bring under its scanner corporate houses which were beneficiaries of the 2G spectrum. Raja remanded to CBI custody for four more days by a special CBI court along with Balwa.

February 17-18, 2011: Raja sent to Tihar Jail under judicial custody. Balwa too jailed.

February 24, 2011: CBI tells Delhi Court Balwa facilitated transaction to DMK-run Kalaignar TV.

March 14, 2011: The Delhi High Court sets up special court to deal exclusively with 2G cases.

March 29, 2011: SC permits CBI to file charge sheet on April 2 instead of March 31. Two more persons—Asif Balwa and Rajeev Agarwal arrested.

April 2, 2011: CBI files its first charge sheet. Names Raja, Chandolia and Behura. Reliance ADAG Group managing director Gautam Doshi, its senior vice president Hari Nair, president Surendra Pipara, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and managing director of Unitech Ltd Sanjay Chandra as accused. Three companies — Reliance Telecom Ltd, Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd — also charge sheeted.

April 25, 2011: CBI files second charge sheet naming DMK chief M. Karunanidhi’s daughter and MP Kanimozhi, 4 others.

October 23, 2011: Charges framed against all 17 accused.

November 11, 2011: Trial begins.

November 23, 2011: SC grants bail to 5 corporate executives — Nair, Doshi, Pipara, Chandra and Goenka.

November 28, 2011: Delhi HC grants bail to Kanimozhi, Kumar, Morani, Asif and Rajiv.

November 29, 2011: Special court grants bail to Shahid Balwa

December 1, 2011: Chandolia gets bail from special court.

December 12, 2011: CBI files third charge sheet. Names Essar Group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia, its director (Strategy and Planning) Vikas Saraf, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan and her husband I.P. Khaitan. Also charge sheets Loop Telecom Pvt Ltd, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holding.

January 31, 2012: SC says filing complaint under the PC Act is a constitutional right and the competent authority should take a decision on giving the sanction within four months.

February 2, 2012: SC cancels 122 licences granted during Raja's tenure. Directs auctioning of licences in 4 months. SC leaves it to the special court to decide on Chidambaram within 2 weeks.

February 2, 2012: SC refuses to ask CBI to probe role of Chidambaram in 2G case and leaves it to the Special Court to decide the matter.

February 4, 2012: Special Court dismisses Swamy's plea to make Chidambaram a co-accused.

February 23, 2012: Swamy moves SC against the trial court order on Chidambaram. NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation also files application seeking probe against Chidambaram.

March 1, 2012: Plea against Chidambaram and former law minister Salman Khurshid for their alleged role in the 2G spectrum scam is listed for hearing in the SC.

April 4, 2012: SC begins hearing plea against Chidambaram.

April 24, 2012: SC reserves order on the maintainability of the plea for probe against Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum case.

August 24, 2012: SC dismisses plea for probe against Chidambaram in the 2G case, says no prima facie material to show that Chidambaram got pecuniary benefits.

December 9, 2013: Amid protests, JPC report on 2G tabled in Lok Sabha

April 25, 2014: 2G kickback case: ED chargesheets Raja, Kanimozhi

May 5, 2014: Court records statement of A Raja. He said he acted with former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s concurrence.

October 31, 2014: Charges framed in the 2G linked case

November 10, 2014: Final hearing would begin from December 19

June 1, 2015: ED says Kalaignar TV received Rs.200 crore through 2G scam.

August 19, 2015: CBI files a fresh assets case against Raja

September 30, 2015: SC dismisses Essar promoters’ plea

November 3, 2015: SC rejects Kanimozhi’s petition to quash charges against her

October 7, 2016: Kanimozhi says she is entitled to be acquitted in 2G scam

April 19, 2017: Special CBI court in Delhi concludes arguments

October 25, 2017: Special Court adjourns the case to November 7. It says the date of judgement will be decided on November 7.

November 7, 2017: The court again postpones decision on fixing a date for the verdict.

December 5, 2017: Special Court says the judgment will be pronounced on December 21 in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

This browser settings will not support to add bookmarks programmatically. Please press Ctrl+D or change settings to bookmark this page.
Topics : #Kanimozhi | #2Gscam

Related Reading