2G scam: Essar, Loop promoters skip court yet again

The promoters of Loop Telecom and Essar Group failed to appear in court yet again on Wednesday. IP Khaitan, Kiran Khaitan, Anshuman Ruia and Ravi Ruia have sought exemption from the proceedings.

Vikas Saraf who is Essar's Director for Strategy and Planning though appeared in court.

Last week the Supreme Court refused to grant interim stay on the summonses issued against them and their officials by a special CBI court to appear before it on February 22 for their alleged involvement in a 2G spectrum scam offshot case.

The two telecom firms, in their petitions, had said they have been chargesheeted under section 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and the charges were triable by a magistrate and not by the special court constituted under the Prevention of Corruption Act for hearing the 2G case.

Other accused named in the third chargesheet are Essar group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia along with Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband IP Khaitan and Essar Group Director (Strategy and Planning) Vikash Saraf.

Their companies have been accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of criminal conspiracy; Essar allegedly used Loop as a front in 2008 to acquire more licenses and spectrum than legally permissible.

However, the companies and their promoters have denied any involvement in the scam.