2G case: Notice to CBI on plea against 'tutoring' witnesses

A Delhi court today sought CBI's response on a plea by a 2G case accused for a direction to the agency to refrain from interfering with witnesses.

Issuing notice to CBI on Swan Telecom Director Vinod Goenka's plea, Special CBI Judge OP Saini asked the agency to file its reply by November 23.

Goenka, in an application through his counsel Majid Memon, sought its direction to CBI to refrain from interfering with witnesses in a suspicious manner before their deposition in the court.

"CBI should be asked to refrain from secretly calling witnesses and showing them their statements," Memon submitted.

Goenka made the plea in wake of a statement by Reliance ADAG President A N Sethuraman, a prosecution witness, to the court yesterday that he was called by CBI to its office in a suspicious manner two days before commencement of the trial in the case on November 11.

Sethuraman had made the statement during his cross-examination by a defence counsel.

During the arguments today, Memon said it was not fair in the eyes of the law that CBI was calling witnesses to its office in the name of refreshing their memory.

Sethuraman had told the court yesterday that in March this year, while making his statement to CBI under Section 161 of Criminal Procedure Code, he was shown a document by an agency official and was asked if the signature on it was that of Reliance ADAG Senior Vice President Hari Nair, also a 2G case accused.