Defense ends its arguments, CBI rejoinder this week

The defense counsel for those acquitted in the 2G spectrum allocation case last week concluded their counter arguments opposing the appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the acquittal of former telecom minister A Raja and others.

The counsel for CBI will now present his rejoinder on March 13 post which the Delhi High Court is likely to reserve its judgment this week, said people in the know. The hearing of the appeal had been going on a daytoday basis for the past couple of months. The defense has argued that a leave to appeal, as sought by the CBI, should not be granted because the accused have been rightly acquitted by the special CBI court after examining the witnesses and case record in detail.

Last week, Advocate Vijay Aggarwal argued that the CBI's allegation of Rs 200 crores of illegal gratification to A Raja was a result of “human fallacy of confirmation bias and post hoc ergo propter hoc”. Aggarwal argued that the last limb of the prosecution case with regard to an alleged trail of bribe of Rs 200 crore to Raja is “nothing but a wishful thinking of the prosecution”. Aggarwal further contended that the prosecution “has tried to connect a long series of genuine business transactions” as money trail from which the bribe has traveled from a company to Raja for grant of license to the said company (STPL).The CBI will commence presenting its rejoinder to defense's arguments on March 13 and is likely to conclude the same within two days, said people quoted above. The Delhi High Court will then reserve its judgment and later pronounce its verdict as to whether the CBI should be granted leave to appeal against the acquittal of Raja and other accused allegedly involved in the 2G spectrum allocation case.