2G: Court castigates Shahid Balwa for his nefarious conduct

Castigating Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa for his "nefarious conduct" and "sinister and reprehensible" act during recording of his statement in 2G spectrum allocation case trial, a special court today imposed a cost of Rs one lakh on him for wasting its time.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini imposed the "nominal cost" on Balwa, facing trial in the 2G case, saying he had wasted time of the court and had also caused unnecessary inconvenience and adjournments on several occasions.
The court ordered that recording of Balwa's statement, which was halted after some objectionable contents were found in it, would resume and all the "objectionable part" shall be deemed to be deleted.

"Accordingly, considering their apologies on record, accused Shahid Usman Balwa is let off by castigating him for his nefarious conduct in the court accompanied by imposition of a nominal cost of Rs 1,00,000 on him for wasting time of the court, causing unnecessary inconvenience and forcing unnecessary adjournments on the court for several days," the judge said in his 67-page order.
"In view of the above discussion, all four applications (filed by Balwa) stand disposed of with the direction that the existing statement(s) shall remain on record minus the objectionable parts, wherever the same occur, whether detected or not, which shall be deemed to be deleted and that further recording of the statement of accused shall resume from the stage where it was stopped," the court said.

"The cost be deposited within seven days from today, failing which warrant of attachment shall issue," it said.
The order came while disposing of four separate pleas filed by Balwa seeking to record his statement afresh and for tendering apology for the mistakes that had occurred in his statement which was partly recorded on May 7 and 8.