Many felt that 21st December 2017 would be a historic day when India via the verdict in the 2G scam case, strikes a decisive blow on the corrupt establishment which has plagued it for many a years.
As per the CBI prosecution, the irregularities in spectrum allocation resulted in a loss of about Rs 30,000 to the national exchequer. In the total three cases (2 filed by CBI and one by ED), the prominent accused included former telecom minister A Raja and Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi.
Prima facie it was reported that the Department of Telecommunications issued licenses on a first come first served basis and later the cut-off date for the applications was advanced to 1st October 2007 from 10th October 2007 which eliminated 408 out of the 575 applicants from the race. It has been alleged that A Raja was the main man behind advancing this deadline.
But today things took a shocking turn when the special court’s judge OP Saini acquitted all the accused in the matter:
Verdict on 2G Scam cases pronounced, all aquitted
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) December 21, 2017
As reported, the court observed that the prosecution had failed to prove its charges as a result of which they were dropped.
Such an unexpected turn of event shocked many, who as a result reacted:
Everyone is innocent….. Like I always said… This is a guntry of innocent people…
— MediaCrooks (@mediacrooks) December 21, 2017
Dear folks who rant about India’s bottomless corruption,the impunity with which politicians loot,or ask why Gandhi family roams free,hope you got your reality check with #2GScamVerdict
— Smita Barooah (@smitabarooah) December 21, 2017
Zero loss, zero convicts. And people say Modiji ke pocket mein hai judiciary. https://t.co/MUDvmttPIV
— Nirwa Narayan Sharma (@nirwamehta) December 21, 2017
I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E. I.N.D.I.A. https://t.co/TQACQ670Ce
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) December 21, 2017
A judgement that lacks credibility
It is really a judgement against SC which monitored the case, canceled the licenses, appointed the special judge. A fit case for appeal. https://t.co/O5QnufZtIf— S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) December 21, 2017
‘Justice’ is a fiefdom of a few in this country #2Gverdict
— Hemant (@bija_hem) December 21, 2017
What a 2G Judgement!
But more than Judgement, Govt must look at CBI & how it happened. & file immediate appeal in HC
— Ishkaran Singh Bhandari (@Ish_Bhandari) December 21, 2017
Such a BAD Judgment – all 2G accused acquitted!!!!! CBI and ED should appeal
— J Gopikrishnan (@jgopikrishnan70) December 21, 2017
Vinod Rai after #2GScamVerdict pic.twitter.com/qlqQn6PaaU
— AMIT (@AMIT_GUJJU) December 21, 2017
Soon after the verdict, Subramanian Swamy one of the main parties to the case, came out to demand that the government immediately approach the High Court regarding this matter:
Govt must prove its bonafides by filing an immediate appeal in High Court
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 21, 2017
It remains to be seen what course of action the prosecuting agencies like the CBI and ED take, and if indeed they appeal against this verdict, how much longer it will take before a decisive conclusion is reached regarding the matter.