New Delhi: In a sudden development, the 2G spectrum cases pending in the court of special CBI judge O.P. Saini have been transferred to another judge, Ajay Kumar Kuhar, who is currently hearing cases against Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar and former finance minister P. Chidambaram.
An official notification by the Delhi High Court Tuesday stated that since judge Saini is due to retire by the end of this month, the pending 2G spectrum cases would be transferred to Kuhar’s court.
Saini, who was tasked with exclusively handling the 2G scam case trial, was posted as judge in-charge of the newly-constructed Rouse Avenue Court complex in February. The decision was taken by Delhi High Court judges, including Chief Justice Rajendra Menon.
Additional sessions judge Saini had, on 3 September, granted anticipatory bail to Chidambaram and his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case after stating that the investigating agencies, the CBI and ED, were seeking repeated adjournments in the case.
However, on the same day Kuhar had granted the CBI 15 days’ custody of Chidambaram to probe his links to the INX Media case. On the expiry of the police custody, Kuhar had sent Chidambaram to judicial custody in Tihar Jail until 19 September.
Kuhar is also handling the ED’s case against Shivakumar, and had sent him to the agency’s custody until Tuesday. The matter is set to be heard later in the day.
Saini’s career
Judge Saini, who is retiring on 30 September, had acquitted former Union telecom minister A. Raja and DMK leader Kanimozhi among others in the 2G scam in December 2017.
In the CBI charge sheet filed in April 2011, Raja and others were alleged to have caused a loss of Rs 30,984 crore to the exchequer in the allocation of 122 2G licences, which were scrapped by the Supreme Court on 2 February 2012.
Saini started his career as Delhi Police sub-inspector in 1981, but shot to fame as the special POTA judge in the December 2000 Red Fort attack case. Saini sentenced Mohammad Arif to death and six others to life imprisonment for attacking an Army camp, killing three jawans.
Saini comes from Haryana and sat for the judicial magistrate examination after six years in the police service. He was the only candidate selected that year.
Also read: Why court acquitted 2G accused: ‘First-come, first-served’ policy was not clear
This is a big loss to India and judicial system. Saini was a great help and aquited kanimozhi and Raja to uphold secularism. He never wavered from the cause and ensured all the 2 G cases are dismissed. His latest judgement to defeat communalism ensured Chidambaram didn’t need to go to jail.
Payre Francis, I believe you and I also believe that the Pope is a Protestant!