New Delhi:
The judge handling the trial of the telecom scam, OP Saini, has told a key witness that if he had shared details of an alleged threat to his life earlier, many of the people on trial may not have been granted bail.
Yesterday in court, A Achary created a high-tension moment when he said he believed his life is in threat from a man present in court. Mr Achary served in the past as an aide to A Raja, the former telecom minister who is in jail for allegedly orchestrating India's biggest swindle.
The Delhi Police spent several hours interrogating the man who Mr Achary pointed to. He is a clerk who works for Reliance-ADAG, a company whose senior executives are on trial along with Mr Raja. The police concluded that Mr Achary's fears that he was being stalked by the Reliance employee were unfounded. Mr Jaiprakash, cops said, shows up to court usually to deliver lunch to the Reliance executives who are present at hearings. Mr Achary said he saw Mr Jaiprakash loitering near his home in August.
So far, a total of 14 people are on trial in the telecom case.
Mr Achary also highlighted the fact that he saw Mr Jaiprakash sitting next to RK Chandolia, another former bureaucrat who worked closely with Mr Raja and is on trial. The CBI has opposed bail for Mr Raja, Mr Chandolia, and Siddharth Behura, the third public servant who is on trial for criminal conspiracy and breach of public trust.
Mr Achary has testified that Mr Raja had a long and close relationship with the executives of real estate giants Unitech and DB Realty, who later jumped the queue to get licenses for mobile networks and spectrum at throwaway prices from Mr Raja when he was Telecom Minister in 2008.