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2G verdict: CBI to move High Court, says lower court did not appreciate 'evidence'

Special Judge OP Saini said the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the charges against 33 persons named in the case.

Written by : IANS

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday said it will appeal in the High Court against the special CBI court verdict giving a clean chit to all accused in the 2G spectrum case and said the court has failed to note in "proper perspective" the prosecution's evidence.

"The CBI will be taking necessary legal remedies in the matter and is planning to move to High Court against the special court's verdict in the 2G scam case dated December 21, 2017. The judgement has been prima facie examined and it appears that the evidence adduced to substantiate the charges by the prosecution has not been appreciated in its proper perspective by the learned court," a CBI statement said.

The central investigating agency's remarks came after a special CBI court on Thursday acquitted all the accused in the 2G scam, including then Telecom Minister A. Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi .

Announcing the judgment, Special Judge OP Saini said the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the charges against 33 persons named in the case that contributed to the Congress-led UPA's electoral loss in 2014.

He also pulled up the CBI, saying the agency had "miserably failed" to prove any charge against any accused in its "well choreographed" chargesheet.

In his judgment, OP Saini said, “In the beginning, the prosecution started with the case with great enthusiasm and ardour. However, as the case progressed, it became highly cautious and guarded in its attitude making it difficult to find out as to what prosecution wanted to prove.”

“However, by the end, the quality of prosecution totally deteriorated and it became directionless and diffident,” the judgment said.

He also added, “There is no material on record to show that Sh. A. Raja was mother lode of conspiracy in the instant case. There is also no evidence of his no­holds­barred immersion in any wrongdoing, conspiracy or corruption.”

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