Name Manmohan Singh as witness in 2G scam: Shahid Balwa

The lawyer for Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, charge-sheeted in the 2G spectrum scam, on Wednesday told a Delhi court that the CBI should have named Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as one of the witnesses in the case.

Advocate Majid Memon cited the correspondence between the former Telecom minister A Raja and the PM on the spectrum allocation to buttress his argument. “CBI is producing letters of Raja and the PM as evidence. It should have made PM Singh a witness in this case,” Memon told special CBI Judge OP Saini.

Memon sought bail for Balwa saying the offence under which he has been charged does not fall under the grave offences punishable up to life imprisonment or death penalty. Balwas ready to deposit his shares in the court if granted bail, he said.

The court adjourned the matter till May 3 after CBI prosecutor AK Singh sought some time to respond.