2G case: Ambani can’t recall minutes of meeting

DECLARED HOSTILE WITNESS BY SPECIAL PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani on Thursday deposed before a special court here as a prosecution witness in the 2-G spectrum allocation case and said he was not aware of any company named Swan Telecom.

“I’m not aware of any company called Swan Telecom,” Ambani told the CBI special court, presided over by Judge OP Saini, when asked by the prosecution if he knew this firm that was given telecom spectrum and licence in 2008.

The main allegation of the probe agency, which prompted it to call Ambani as a witness, is that Swan Telecom was a shell company of the Anil Ambani Group, ineligible for telecom spectrum and licence — a matter that has been strongly denied by the defence.

Replying to another question from CBI counsel, Ambani claimed he did not recall anything about board meetings citing the fact that he did not prepare minutes of the meeting.

He also said that he couldn’t recall details of share transfer from his company to shell companies.

Finally, even though Ambani is a CBI witness, but because his statements have so far not helped the agency, he was declared a hostile witness by special public prosecutor UU Lalit.

The 54-year-old Ambani, who looked

relaxed and composed, had reached court much ahead of time. Standing in witness box in a packed room, he declined any knowledge about Swan, but said he had, indeed, met telecom ministers a number of times. “I met the late Pramod Mahajan, A. Raja, Kapil Sibal ... multiple times in connection with the developments in telecom sector,” he told the court. The court had on Wednesday declined the plea of Reliance Telecom against summoning him and his wife Tina Ambani as prosecution witnesses. The court had postponed their examination last month. Subsequently, on July 19, summons were issued to Anil and Tina for recording their statements on August 22 and 23, respectively, based on the probe agency’s plea. Tina is now expected to appear in the court on Friday. This was stated by Anil Ambani in the court on Thursday.