The Aircel-Maxis case refers to a Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval in 2006 by the then Union finance minister P Chidambaram
The Supreme Court on Monday slammed probe agencies over the delay in completing the investigation into the Aircel-Maxis case in the 2G scam, asking if "invisible hands" were at play.
A bench led by Justice Arun Mishra directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to complete the probe within six months, observing that "you cannot keep the people of the country in the dark".
"Issue is serious for this country. People want to know why investigation not been completed... We are worried about this case, we are very unhappy," the bench said.
"We direct the competent investigating agencies to complete the investigation within six months in all the cases and aspects concerned with 2G spectrum case. No stone shall be left unturned," the bench added.
Attorney General KK Venugopal submitted that he would file a status report that would "throw light" on this matter after the top Court directed him to appear as an amicus, an impartial adviser.
The Aircel-Maxis case refers to a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in 2006 by the then Union finance minister P Chidambaram. According to the CBI, Chidambaram cleared the deal bypassing the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs.
The bench also dismissed a contempt petition filed against the Centre over the appointment of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as the special public prosecutor in the 2G case. Last month, the Centre had appointed Mehta, replacing SC-picked Senior Advocate Anand Grover as the SPP in the trial stage.
Mehta will represent CBI and ED in 2G case in the Delhi High Court when appeals against the acquittal of those accused will be filed.
The court, however, left it to the Centre to change the SPP who would represent the CBI and ED after the trial got over.
Holding that the prosecution had "miserably failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt", a special CBI court in last December had acquitted all 19 accused, including former telecom minister A Raja, DMK Rajya Sabha MP M Kanimozhi, top corporates and bureaucrats of corruption and money laundering charges in the 2G spectrum allocation case. Special CBI Judge OP Saini also noted that rumour, gossip and speculation had created the public perception about the cases.
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