New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) Here is a chronology of events leading to the special CBI court declining to make Home Minister P. Chidambaram an accused in the 2G spectrum allocation case:
Nov 29, 2008: Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, seeking sanction to prosecute then communications minister A. Raja under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
May 4, 2009: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) receives complaints of irregularities in spectrum allocation to Loop Telecom.
May 2010: NGO Centre for Public Interest litigation (CPIL) moves the Delhi High Court seeking Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into scam.
Sep 13, 2010: The Supreme Court asks Raja and the central government to respond within 10 days to three petitions of CPIL and others on allegations that there was a Rs.70,000 crore scam.
Sep 24, 2010: Swamy moves the Supreme Court seeking direction to the prime minister to sanction Raja’s prosecution.
Oct 8, 2010: The Supreme Court seeks the government’s response on the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report on the scam.
Oct 29, 2010: CBI pulled up by the Supreme Court for its slow probe in the scam.
Nov 10, 2010: CAG pegs loss to exchequer at Rs.1.76 lakh crore.
Nov 11, 2010: The Department of Telecom (DoT) questions CAG’s authority to question policy decision on 2G licences in the apex court by filing an affidavit.
Nov 14, 2010: Raja resigns as the communications minister.
Nov 20, 2010: Rejecting charge of inaction on Swamy’s complaint, the prime minister files an affidavit in the Supreme Court.
Nov 25, 2010: CBI pulled up by the apex court for not questioning Raja.
Dec 2, 2010: The Supreme Court comes down heavily on Raja for bypassing the prime minister’s advice to put off allocation of 2G spectrum by a few days.
Dec 8, 2010: The apex court favours probe into spectrum allocation since 2001 when first-come-first-served was the norm for spectrum allocation.
Dec 8, 2010: The Supreme Court orders setting up of a special court to look into 2G scam.
Feb 2, 2011: Raja arrested.
Sep 15, 2011: Swamy goes to a CBI special court seeking Chidambaram to be made co-accused.
Sep 22, 2011: CBI blames the telecom department and defends Chidambaram in the Supreme Court.
Oct 10, 2011: The Supreme Court reserves order on Swamy’s plea for a probe into the alleged role of Chidambaram in the 2G scam.
Oct 22, 2011: Special CBI court frames charges against 17 accused, including Raja.
Nov, 2011: Except Raja and Behura, 12 others get bail.
Dec 12, 2011: CBI submits third charge sheet, including names of Essar promoters Anshuman Ruia, Ravi Ruia, Essar Group director strategy and planning Vikas Saraf, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan and her husband I.P. Khaitan as accused. Loop Telecom Pvt Ltd, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holding also recognised as accused.
Jan 31, 2012: The Supreme Court accepts Swamy’s petition against the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), says filing complaint under the Prevention of Corruption Act is a constitutional right.
Feb 2: The Supreme Court orders cancellation of 122 licences issued in 2008, gives companies four months to cease operations.
Feb 4: Trial court dismisses Swamy’s plea to make Home Minister P. Chidambaram an accused in the 2G case.
