Deal with CBIs new charge separately

All the 14 accused in the 2G scam on Thursday told the special court to frame charges based on the CBIs latest application separately.

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All the 14 accused in the 2G scam on Thursday told the special court to frame charges based on the CBIs latest application separately. They contended that if the CBIs plea to charge them with criminal breach of trust was clubbed with other charges,it would delay the framing of charges as well as their chances of getting bail.

The fresh application of the CBI of framing a charge of criminal breach of trust should be treated separately. There is no harm if the issue of Section 409 of the IPC is dealt later, former telecom minister A Raja told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

The accused urged the court,which was to pronounce its order on framing of charges on September 15,to go ahead and decide the applicability of charges invoked earlier by the CBI. The Supreme Court had said the accused,some of whom have been in jail for over seven months,could seek bail after the Special CBI court framed charges against them.

Shahid Balwa,another accused,approached the bench and supported Rajas submission,saying arguments on Section 420 cheating of the IPC continued for over a month and this new charge would also take another two-three months as the whole chargesheet would be read again.

However,Balwas oral submission irked the judge. Till now,I was keeping my mouth shut. Do not compel me to open my mouth. Why would it take two months to advance arguments on this one charge? asked the judge,who had warned Balwa last week too,after he spoke out of turn.

The judge asked the accused to raise such issues either in their replies or through lawyers. Wait for tomorrow and file your reply on the new charge. Say whatever you want to say in your reply,and not now. Why are you in a hurry? Go back, the judge said.

On Monday,the CBI had submitted an application before the court,asking for all the accused to be additionally charged with Section 409 of the IPC,which deals with criminal breach of trust. This means that the maximum possible punishment for the 17 accused including three companies could go up to life imprisonment,from the current seven years imprisonment.