2G: CBI files 3rd chargesheet,names Essar and Loop telecom

The agency also named three companies – Loop Telecom Pvt Ltd,Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holding as accused in the case.

All of them have been chargesheeted under section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC.

Essar group in a statement denied all allegations against its officials and the company.

The 105-page chargesheet containing 398 documents was brought in five trunks before Special Judge O P Saini who will take cognizance of the charge sheet on December 17.

The chargesheet named 100 prosecution witnesses. This is the third charge sheet filed by the CBI in the case.

In the last two chargesheets,CBI had named 14 people and three companies as accused in the case which includes former Telecom Minister A Raja,his private secretary R K Chandolia,former Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura,DMK MP Kanimozhi and DMK-run Kalaignar TV’s Managing Director Sharad Kumar.

The agency had also chargesheeted six corporate honchos — Reliance ADAG Group Managing Director Gautam Doshi,its senior Vice President Hari Nair,Group President Surendra Pipara,Swan Telecom Promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and Managing Director of Unitech Ltd Sanjay Chandra.

The others,who were chargesheeted were Bollywood Producer Karim Morani,Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Aggarwal.

Besides them,the three companies-Reliance Telecom Ltd,Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd were also chargesheeted.

The court had on October 22 framed charges against the accused and their trial began on November 11.

All 17 have been charged under various provisions of the IPC for criminal breach of trust,criminal conspiracy,cheating,forgery and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Barring Raja and Behura,all other accused are out on bail.