2G case: Anil Ambani appears as CBI witness as SC rejects plea

New Delhi: Reliance Group ChairmanAnil Ambani today appeared as a prosecution witness in a Delhi court as the Supreme Court rejected a group company's plea that no additional witnesses be allowed at this stage of the trial.

The Supreme Court has also reserved order on a plea seeking recall of its order barring High Courts from hearing the 2G matter.

There are no charges against Anil Ambani but a unit of his Reliance Communications and three of his group executives are among those charged over payments to Swan Telecom in the case. The Supreme Court had refused to have a early hearing on the Reliance Telecom application objecting to Anil Ambani's appearance in 2G spectrum case.

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[caption id="attachment_1051919" align="alignright" width="380"] Anil Ambani. Reuters[/caption]

The court had issued summons to Anil and Tina for recording of their statement as prosecution witnesses in the case for August 22 and 23, respectively.

Tina, however yesterday, sought adjournment for her appearance before the court on August 23 and requested it to fix a new date.

In her plea, Tina Ambani had said that due to "prior commitments" it would not be possible for her to travel to Delhi on August 23. "I wish to state that owing to prior commitments, it will not be possible for me to travel to Delhi on August 23, 2013."

However, the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing the case, had opposed it. The petition is still pending.

Earlier, Anil, who was scheduled to depose in the court on July 26, had moved a plea for exemption from personal exemption on the grounds that he has "pre-scheduled" business engagements.

The court had on July 25 allowed his plea and had directed him to appear before it on August 22 for recording of his testimony.

With inputs from PTI