2G scam: AG Vahanvati to testify as witness on February 27

Attorney General (AG) Ghoolam E Vahanvati is likely to appear on February 27 before a Delhi court trying the 2G spectrum allocation scam accused to depose as a prosecution witness in the case.

The CBI, in its chargesheet, has alleged that former Telecom Minister A Raja, in conspiracy with co-accused and former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, had "fraudulently portrayed" to the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) that the amended draft of the press release regarding issuance of letters of intents (LoIs) to the telecom firms had the consent of the then Solicitor General Vahanvati.

The CBI had also alleged that the amendment in the press release "led to redefining the concept of the first come first served on the basis of priority in submission of compliance of the LoI against the established practice of priority in order of receipt of application".

The agency has submitted a fresh list of prosecution witnesses to be called for recording of their statements in the case before Special CBI Judge O P Saini and Vahanvati's deposition is listed for February 27.

During the probe into the case, Vahanvati had told the CBI that in 2007 he was the Solicitor General and to the best of his recollection "on January 7, 2008, an officer or officers of the DoT came to my residence and asked me whether there was any stay of any court with regard to the issue of LoIs."

Vahanvati had said he had told the DoT officer that there was no such stay after which he was shown a draft of a press release.

"Accordingly, I noted that 'I have seen the notes. The issues regarding new LoIs are not before any court. What is proposed is fair and reasonable. The press release makes for transparency. This seems to be in order'," he had said in his statement recorded by the CBI on March 10, 2011.

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