Govt appoints special court to try 2G spectrum scam

Government today appointed a special court to try cases relating to the second generation mobile spectrum scam following directions of the Supreme Court.

Delhi government issued a notification designating Om Prakash Saini as a special judge to 'undertake the trial of cases in relation to all matters pertaining to 2G scam exclusively'.

In a separate notification, department of revenue in the finance ministry designated the sessions court of Saini as special court to deal with offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002.

The law ministry had favoured the special court to be given the powers of a sessions court as the enforcement directorate, looking into alleged violations of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, cannot file a chargesheet in a lower court according to the provisions of the Act.

"We have issued the notification to try exclusively the 2G scam cases after getting approval from the Lt governor Tejinder Khanna," Delhi law secretary SP Garg told Press Trust of India.

The apex court had asked the government to set up a special court exclusively for dealing with the 2G spectrum case.

CBI had informed the court that it will file the first chargesheet in 2G spectrum scam against former telecom minister A Raja and other accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act for cheating and forgery by March 31.

Attorney general GE Vahanvati had written to Moily suggesting him to request the chief justice of the Delhi high court to initiate the process for nominating a judge for the purpose.

Following the attorney general's opinion. Moily had written to Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and Delhi high court Chief Justice Deepak Misra to nominate a judge for the purpose.