2G: Swamy sustains attack on Chidambaram through fresh SC plea

Dogged in his efforts to indict union home minister P Chidambaram in the 2G case, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy today filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court challenging a trial court order exonerating Chidambaram, who was finance minister when the alleged scam occurred in 2008.

The apex court hearing Swamy's plea, had on 2 February, refused to rule directly on the matter, telling Swamy to re-approach the special CBI court trying cases related to the scam.

Special court judge O P Saini rejected Swamy's plea two days later, ruling that he was unable to prove malafide motives on the part of Chidambaram.

The CBI court said Chidambaram was only party to two decisions  - keeping spectrum prices at the 2001 level and the dilution of equity by two companies - which was "not per se criminal".

Swamy told a media-organised gathering in New Delhi earlier today that Justice Saini, in his 70-para verdict, had agreed with him in 65 paras. A former practicing lawyer himself, Swamy maintained that he can prove criminality only through the cross-examination of Chidambaram.

The Janata Party chief has long been alleging that Chidambaram is as culpable as jailed former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja in awarding spectrum at cheap rates on a first come, first served basis, and favouring certain companies in the process. Some of these companies were soon able to sell their spectrum to foreign buyers at a huge profit.