2G: Judge warns accused not to play 'tricks'

New Delhi: The repeated "major mistakes" in the applications filed by various accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case on Friday irked the special judge who warned them not to play such "tricks" with the court.

Special CBI Judge OP Saini, who is hearing the case on a day-to-day basis, said out of 410 applications being filed by the defence counsel till date in the case, around 200 pleas contained major mistakes.

The judge said this after Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd Director Karim Morani, facing trial in the case and presently on bail, filed application seeking exemption from personal appearance from April 16 to 19 on the ground that he has to attend the upcoming IPL matches on April 15 and 18.

"These are tricks being played in the court. I have said all of you to please be honest. I will allow your applications but please be honest," the judge said, adding, "Till date 410 applications have been filed (by the counsel) and they are numbered but around 200 applications contain major mistakes."

The court, however, allowed Morani's plea and exempted him from personal appearance before it from April 16 to April 19.

As the judge rapped the advocates for filing applications containing mistakes, Morani's advocate Sandeep Kapoor said they have not done anything like this before.

"We have not done anything like this before and if any other counsel is doing so, it can not be attributed to us," he said adding Morani was required to attend upcoming IPL matches of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team scheduled on April 15 and April 18.

The court had earlier allowed a similar plea by Morani for exemption from personal appearance from April 2 to 4 after he had said that he had to manage the IPL events for KKR team.

The court, which was scheduled to record the statement of former Telecom Secretary D S Mathur, a prosecution witness in the case, today adjourned the proceedings till April 16.

The proceedings were adjourned as former Telecom Minister A Raja and ex-Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura, both facing trial and lodged in Tihar Jail could not reach Patiala House Courts complex as the policemen, who used to accompany them, were on election duty for the upcoming MCD polls scheduled on April 15.

The recording of statement of Mathur had commenced from April 9 and Raja is cross examining him in the case.