Essar, Loop Telecom to face 645 questions from CBI court

ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE RECORDED BY COURT ON MAY 5 AS PART OF EVIDENCE

NEW DELHI: Promoters of Essar Group and Loop Telecom Limited, who are facing trial in a case arising out of the probe into 2G spectrum allocation scam, will now have to face 645 questions set by Special CBI judge OP Saini.

The court was set to provide the eight accused in the case with a copy of the questions by April 16, but gave the defendants a head start by supplying a copy of the questions, running into 308 pages, to their counsels on Wednesday this week.

The answers will be recorded by the court on May 5 as part of their evidence under Section 313 of the CrPc.

Essar Group promoters Ravi Ruia and Anshuman Ruia, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband I P Khaitan and Essar Group Director (Strategy and Planning) Vikash Saraf are facing trial in the case along with three firms — Loop Telecom Ltd, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holding Ltd.

All of them have denied the charges levied by CBI in the case arising out of the probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

The accused in the case have been charged under provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act dealing with offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, faking documents, abusing official position, criminal misconduct by public servant and taking bribe.

The offences entail punishment ranging from six months in jail to life imprisonment.

Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Kalaignar TV Director Sharad Kumar and Bollywood producer Karim Morani are also accused.

Besides, three telecom firms Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL), Reliance Telecom Ltd and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Ltd are also facing trial.