Delhi High Court is likely to open a sealed cover status report, submitted by the CBI, in a plea alleging corruption by BSNL wherein it has been alleged that BSNL paid a sum of Rs 1000 crores to a Chinese Telecom giant named ZTE.
Chief Justice D.N Patel & Justice C Hari Shankar hearing Telecom Watchdog V Central Bureau of Investigation are looking into allegations against BSNL officials having committed offences under Section 13(1)(c) & 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and IPC 468.
According to the petition the terms of the deal with BSNL were that, they would be paying 50 percent of the payment at the time of delivery and the rest were supposed to be paid after satisfactory compliance. However, Prashant Bhushan, the council for the petitioner argued that, BSNL had paid 90 percent of the payment in front, violating the terms of agreement.
Bhushan further hinted towards a big conspiracy stating that atleast 22 officials of BSNL signed on the agreement in a day to change the terms of the payment.
An earlier Supreme Court, order in this matter had directed the CBI to file an FIR and to conduct preliminary inquiry. The council for the CBI however affirmed that the preliminary inquiry has been completed, reports of which have been submitted to the honorable High Court.
The bench told the CBI to file the second status report as the court has received only one of it.
— India Legal Bureau