Following are the highlights of today’s three verdicts in the politically-sensitive 2G spectrum allocation cases:
* All the accused including former Telecom Minister A Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi acquitted.
* Prosecution failed to prove there was a scam involving conspiracy for corruption and money laundering.
* DoT officials and other created a scam by “artfully arranging a few selected facts and exaggerating things beyond recognition to astronomical levels”.
* Raja was not the “mother lode of conspiracy”.
* All the accused in two offshoot cases lodged by the ED and CBI also set free.
* Prosecution had “totally deteriorated” and became “directionless” towards the end of the trial.
* CBI started with “great enthusiasm and ardour” but at the final stage of the trial, SPP and CBI prosecutor moved in “two different directions without any coordination”.
* CBI filed a “well-choreographed charge sheet” containing incorrect facts leading to the acquittals.
* Essar Group promoters Ravi Kant Ruia and Anshuman Ruia acquitted in a case arising out of the 2G probe as there was no evidence to suggest they controlled the Loop Telecom Ltd, an alleged beneficiary of the spectrum allocation.
* Raja, Kanimozhi and 17 others let off of the charge of laundering Rs 200 crore bribe money in the 2G case, as there was no scam and therefore, no “proceeds of crime”.
* Former Attorney General G E Vahanvati “deliberately” denied and disowned official record with regard to draft press release of the DoT.
* Then senior PMO officials, Pulok Chatterjee and T K A Nair, had “suppressed the most relevant and controversial part” of Raja’s letter and the then telecom minister “cannot be faulted” for misrepresenting the facts.
* DoT criticised for playing “victim” and claiming that it was cheated by promoters of accused companies in grant of 2G spectrum licences.
* Depositions of senior DoT officers and key prosecution witnesses, including D S Mathur, A K Srivastava, K Sridhara and Nitin Jain, were contrary to the records and were passing the buck.
* Records reflects the earnestness and commitment of then TRAI Chairman Nripendra Mishra, presently the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, with which he was seeking implementation of TRAI recommendations.
* Statement of controversial corporate lobbyist Niira Radia was of no use and her testimony lacked any significance. * Special CBI Judge rues that despite having devoted seven years to the cases, no “legally admissible evidence” came before him.
