A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Thursday rejected a plea seeking a probe against Reliance ADA Group Chairman Anil Ambani and the Tata group related to the 2008 sale of mobile phone licences.
Judge OP Saini dismissed the applications filed by public interest litigators to investigate Ambani, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata, Niira Radia, a public relations executive, and a state politician. The litigators were fined for filing “frivolous” petitions.
The court decision came after CBI said the cut-off date for 2G licences did not apply to existing operators such as Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications.
“He (the petitioner) is misconceived in what he is saying. Tata was an existing licensee and not a new operator. The cut-off date (criteria) was not applicable in case of Tata and even Reliance as they were not new operators,” CBI said in response to an application by a Ghaziabad-based scrap dealer.
CBI said it had made everything clear in the two charge sheets filed in the case and had nothing more to say as the investigation was on.
The scrap dealer alleged that Tata Teleservices was granted licences despite the fact that it applied after the cut-off date.
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“Tata Tele has been granted licence in violation of policy and procedure. Ratan Tata has also not been properly investigated,” said his lawyer.
Separately, the court dismissed pleas for a direction to CBI to make Reliance ADAG Chairman Anil Ambani, Tata group Chief Ratan Tata, corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and DMK chief M Karunanidhi's wife, Dayalu Ammal, accused in the scam.
The special court is hearing charges that Raja “entered into a conspiracy” with government and private company officials to award phone permits to ineligible companies.
Tony Jesudasan, a spokesman for the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, declined to comment when contacted by phone. Rajeev Narayan, a spokesman for Tata Teleservices, declined to comment in an email.
BS reporter adds: The news, which came after market hours on Thursday, was “sentimentally positive” for shares of R-ADAG companies, especially those of Reliance Communications and Reliance Capital, said S P Tulsian, an independent investment advisor. He expects R-ADAG stocks to gain tomorrow.
Earlier in the day, R-ADAG stocks fell 2-7 per cent on concerns related to the trial court’s decision.