New Delhi:
The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition of the Ruias of the Essar group and said they will have to face trial in the 2G case.
Anshuman Ruia and Ravi Ruia had questioned whether they should be tried by a CBI Special Court hearing the case, which involves the illegal allocation of 2G or second generation airwaves. The Ruias had moved court seeking fresh trial in a magistrate's court, separate from the 2G case.
The Ruias had argued that they were charged with cheating and conspiracy and not under Prevention of Corruption Act, and so can't be tried by the special court hearing the 2G spectrum case.
Their argument was that the special court was set up to try only corruption cases.
The CBI opposed this and Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover told the court that re-trial cannot be ordered after four years, when the case is almost coming to an end.
The CBI says that in 2008, then Telecom Minister A Raja took large bribes from firms who were given out-of-turn mobile network licenses; second-generation airwaves were attached to the licenses for no extra cost. The entire swindle was worth Rs. 1.76 lakh crore according to the national auditor whose report in 2010 ignited a national controversy.