2G spectrum allocation scam case: A chronology of events

New Delhi: A special court on December 21 will pronounce its verdict in the 2G spectrum allocation scam cases.

Former telecom minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi as well as officials of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group, Unitech Ltd and D B Realty are accused in the cases.

Special Judge O P Saini said the judgment will be pronounced at 10.30 am on December 21. The trial started six years ago after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed its first chargesheet.

The court has been hearing three cases, two filed by the CBI and one by the Enforcement Directorate.

Following is the chronology of events related to the scam

May 2007: A Raja takes over as Telecom Minister

Aug 2007: Process of allotment of 2G Spectrum along with UAS Licences initiated by Department of Telecom (DoT)

Sept 25, 2007: Telecom Ministry issues press note fixing deadline for application as October 1, 2007

Oct 1, 2007: DoT receives 575 applications by 46 firms

Nov 2, 2007: PM writes to Raja to ensure fair licence allocation and proper revision of fee. Raja writes to PM allegedly rejecting many of his recommendations

Nov 22, 2007: Finance Ministry writes to DoT raising concerns over the procedure adopted

Jan 10, 2008: DoT decides to issue licences on first—come—first—serve basis (FCFS), preponing cut—off date to September 25. Later in the day, DoT says those who apply between 3.30 and 4.30 pm would be issued licences

2008: Swan Telecom, Unitech and Tata Teleservices sell off a part of their stakes at much higher rates to Etisalat, Telenor and DoCoMo respectively

May 4, 2009: NGO Telecom Watchdog complains to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on the illegalities in the 2G spectrum allocation to Loop Telecom

2009: CVC directs CBI to investigate the matter.

July 1, 2009: Single judge of Delhi HC holds change of cut—off date as illegal. S—tel had moved the petition

Oct 21, 2009: CBI files FIR against “unknown officers of DoT and unknown private persons/ companies and others“

Oct 22, 2009: CBI raids DoT offices

Nov 16, 2009: CBI seeks help from Directorate General of Income Tax for information on lobbyist Niira Radia and records pertaining to middlemen in award of 2G spectrum licences

Nov 20, 2009: Information by IT dept shows role of corporate players in influencing policies of DoT via illegal means. Shows Radia directly in touch with Raja

Mar 31, 2010: CAG report notes “whole process of issue of licence lacked fairness and transparency“

May 6, 2010: Telephonic conversation between Raja and Radia made public by the media

May 2010: Government constitutes GoM for allocation of 3G spectrum, reducing DoT under Raja as mere implementing body

Aug 18, 2010: HC refuses to direct PM to decide on a complaint by Janata Party chief Swamy seeking sanction to prosecute Raja for his alleged involvement in 2G scam

Sept 13, 2010: SC asks government, Raja to reply within 10 days to three petitions alleging a Rs 70,000 crore scam in the grant of telecom licences in 2008

Sept 24, 2010: Swamy moves SC seeking direction to PM to sanction prosecution of Raja

Sept 27, 2010: Enforcement Directorate informs SC of probe against firms suspected to have violated FEMA. Says can’t deny or confirm now Raja’s involvement in the scam

Oct 2010: SC asks government to respond to CAG report about the scam. Pulls up CBI for its tardy progress in probe

Nov 10, 2010: CAG submits report on 2G spectrum to government stating loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to exchequer

Nov 11, 2010: DoT files affidavit in SC; says CAG did not have the authority to question the policy decision as per which licence were issued to new players in 2008

Nov 14—15, 2010: Raja resigns as Telecom Minister. Kapil Sibal given additional charge of Telecom Ministry

Feb 10, 2011: SC asks CBI to bring under its scanner corporate houses which were beneficiaries of the 2G spectrum. Raja remanded to CBI custody for four more days by a special CBI court along with Balwa

Feb 17—18, 2011: Raja sent to Tihar Jail under judicial custody. Balwa too jailed

Feb 24, 2011: CBI tells Delhi Court Balwa facilitated transaction to DMK—run Kalaignar TV

March 14, 2011: The Delhi High Court sets up special court to deal exclusively with 2G cases

March 29, 2011: SC permits CBI to file charge sheet on April 2 instead of March 31. Two more persons — Asif Balwa and Rajeev Agarwal arrested

April 2, 2011: CBI files its first charge sheet. Names Raja, Chandolia and Behura. Reliance ADAG Group Managing Director Gautam Doshi, its senior Vice President Hari Nair, Group President Surendra Pipara, Swan Telecom Promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and Managing Director of Unitech Ltd Sanjay Chandra made accused. Three companies — Reliance Telecom Ltd, Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd — also charge sheeted

April 25, 2011: CBI files second charge sheet naming DMK chief M. Karunanidhi’s daughter and MP Kanimozhi, 4 others

Oct 23, 2011: Charges framed against all 17 accused

Nov 11, 2011: Trial begins

Nov 23, 2011: SC grants bail to 5 corporate executives — Nair, Doshi, Pipara, Chandra and Goenka

Nov 28, 2011: Delhi HC grants bail to Kanimozhi, Kumar, Morani, Asif and Rajiv

Nov 29, 2011: Special court grants bail to Shahid Balwa

Dec 1, 2011: Chandolia gets bail from special court

Dec 12, 2011: CBI files third charge sheet

Jan 31, 2012: SC says filing complaint under the PC Act is a constitutional right and the competent authority should take a decision on giving the sanction within four months

Feb 2, 2012: SC cancels 122 licences granted during Raja's tenure. Directs auctioning of licences in 4 months. SC leaves it to the special court to decide on Chidambaram within 2 weeks

Feb 2, 2012: SC refuses to ask CBI to probe role of Chidambaram in 2G case and leaves it to the Special Court to decide the matter

Feb 4, 2012: Special Court dismisses Swamy's plea to make Chidambaram a co-accused

Feb 23, 2012: Swamy moves SC against the trial court order on Chidambaram. NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation also files application seeking probe against Chidambaram

Mar 1, 2012: Plea against Chidambaram and Law Minister Salman Khurshid for their alleged role in the 2G spectrum scam is listed for hearing in the SC

Apr 4, 2012: SC begins hearing plea against Chidambaram

Apr 24, 2012: SC reserves order on the maintainability of the plea for probe against Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum case

Aug 24, 2012: SC dismisses plea for probe against Chidambaram in the 2G case, says no prima facie material to show that Chidambaram got pecuniary benefits

December 9, 2013: Amid protests, JPC report on 2G tabled in Lok Sabha

April 25, 2014: 2G kickback case: ED chargesheets Raja, Kanimozhi

May 5, 2014: Court records statement of Raja | ‘Acted with the Prime Minister’s concurrence’

October 31, 2014: Charges framed in 2G-linked case

November 10, 2014: Final hearing from December 19

June 1, 2015: Kalaignar TV got Rs. 200 crores through 2G scam, says ED

August 19, 2015: CBI files assets case against Raja

November 3, 2015: SC rejects Kanimozhi’s plea to quash charges against her

October 7, 2016: Entitled to be acquitted in 2G case: Kanimozhi

April 19, 2017: Special court concludes arguments

October 25, 2017:  Special Court adjourns case to November 7, says it may decide the date of judgement on that day

November 7, 2017: The court again postpones decision on fixing a date for the pronouncement of the verdict in the 2G spectrum allocation case

December 5, 2017:  Special Court says it would deliver its verdict on December 21 in the 2G spectrum allocation graft cases