Chidambaram's alleged complicity in 2G scam to be decided Saturday

New Delhi - A court here will rule Saturday whether or not Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who was the finance minister when former communications minister allocated 122 telecom licenses that have now been cancelled by the Supreme Court, should be made a co-accused in the 2G spectrum scam.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge O.P. Saini had reserved his order for Saturday after the last hearing Jan 21 after Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy, who has made the plea for making Chidambaram a co-accused, concluded his final arguments.

The Supreme Court, while cancelling the 122 licenses Thursday, left it to the trial court to decide on Swamy's plea.

Swamy, while deposing against Chidambaram before Saini, had said that former communications minister A. Raja committed irregularities in connivance with Chidambaram in alloting the licenses.

He said the decision on pegging spectrum prices based on 2001 rates was jointly taken by Raja and Chidambaram.

Swamy has submitted documents, including evidence extracted from a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, before the court showing Chidambaram's alleged complicity in the case.

Swamy has also placed on record the file relating to UASL (Unified Access Service Licence) policy regarding sale of equity that he has received from the CBI after the court's direction last November.

The file was seized by the CBI in October 2009, but the agency did not place it on record with the chargesheet in the 2G case.

Swamy was allowed by the trial court Dec 8, 2011 to lead the evidence on his plea seeking Chidambaram's prosecution.

Swmay has sought to prosecute Chidambaram for various offences including criminal misconduct, under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other criminal laws. He says Chidambaran is also guilty of breaching national security by not disclosing the fact that Etisalat and Telenor, who had recieved the licenses, were blacklisted companies.

Swamy has also alleged that despite being ineligible, Unitech Wireless and Swan Telecom were awarded licences and were allowed to offload their shares to Etisalat and Telenor.

Raja is among the 14 people, including corporate honchos, who have been arrested in the scam. Kanimozhi, a DMK Rajya Sabha member and daughter of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi, was also arrested in the case.