CBI may seek more time from SC to wind up probe

NEW DELHI: The CBI may not be able to complete its investigation into the 2G spectrum scam case by May 31 as stipulated by the Supreme Court. The agency will soon approach the apex court seeking extension for filing its third chargesheet.
Top sources in the agency said a joint team of CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) would visit Mauritius to follow the 2G scam money trail by second week of May, leaving the probe team with little time to corroborate the details with other evidence back home once it returns.
"Considering the time constraint and volume of work, the agency will approach the Supreme Court – which has been monitoring the probe – soon, requesting it to allow the CBI some more time for filing its next chargesheet," said an official without specifying any time-frame.
The CBI, which is expecting the trial in the case to be over in six-seven months, will explain to the court about procedural delay, specifically when the probe is extended to other countries.
"We will have to convince the apex court with sound reasons. In any case, we will not seek a major extension of the deadline considering the fact that more supplementary chargesheets can be filed in due course as and when we get more details/evidence," said the official.
India had sent a letter rogatory (LR) to Mauritius in connection with the CBI's investigation into 12 private companies that allegedly benefited from the spectrum scam. The team, which is to visit Mauritius next month, will collect details of ownership pattern, investments and banking transaction of those companies.
Another team will visit Cyprus. The schedule for this is, however, yet to be finalized. A private company, accused of being involved in the 2G scam, had allegedly registered several subsidiaries in Cyprus, the country considered to be a tax haven.
The CBI has, so far, filed two chargesheets in the case with the first being filed on April 2. The second one was filed on Monday in which the agency named Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi as a co-conspirator.
Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha MP, has been summoned to appear before a trial court on May 6. Sources in the CBI said whether she would be arrested or not depended on the court when she appears before it next month.