Above: ASG Tushar Mehta/Photo courtesy: Amity University

The Central government has appointed Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta as the special public prosecutor in the 2G spectrum case.

In the 2G spectrum case, the Supreme Court had appointed Anand Grover as a special public prosecutor in the lower court. But the special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a verdict had exonerated former telecom minister A Raja and 17 others noting that the quality of the prosecution in the 2G spectrum case was totally poor and it became directionless while reaching the end of the trial.

Special Judge O P Saini had said that the CBI started its case with excitement and enthusiasm, but in the last phase of the hearing, the prosecutors proceeded in two different directions without coordination.

Significantly, in the beginning of the case, the present Supreme Court’s Judge, Justice U U Lalit had been appointed Special Public Prosecutor in the case.

Later, when Justice Lalit was appointed as the Supreme Court judge, the Supreme Court appointed Grover as a special public prosecutor for both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Special judge Saini had said in the verdict that the prosecution in the beginning approached the case with great excitement and enthusiasm. However, as the matter progressed, it became very cautious and alert in its attitude which made it very difficult to know what the prosecution wanted to prove.

The court has said that though, coming to the end, the quality of the prosecution was completely damaged and it became directionless and defenseless.

The court had also took a firm view at the behavior of the CBI and its Special Public Prosecutor and said that too many applications and responses were filed on their side but in the last phase of the hearing, no senior officer or prosecutor was ready to sign those documents.

—India Legal Bureau