The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the government to reveal what happened between March 5, 2010, when telecom company S Tel’s second generation (2G) licences were cancelled, and April 15, 2010, when they were restored.
An apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly sought the details after studying the documents that were presented by the government.
The court had summoned the documents after it was alleged Tuesday that S Tel was forced into submission and told to withdraw its plea from the apex court seeking grant of 2G licences in certain circles.
Due to the advancing of the cut-off date from Oct 1, 2007 to Sep 25, 2007 through two press releases issued Jan 10, 2008, S Tel did not get licences in circles where it had applied after Sep 25, 2007.
S Tel, which had been allotted licences in some circles prior to Sep 25, 2007, challenged the advancing of the cut-off date. On March 5, 2010, it was abruptly told that all these licenses had been cancelled.
The company later withdrew its plea before the apex court on the grounds of changed market conditions. After the withdrawal of the plea, the company’s existing licences were restored April 15, 2010.
Appearing in person, petitioner and Janata Party president Subramainian Swamy told the court that all the 2G licences which were granted in pursuance of two press releases issued Jan 10, 2008 stood automatically cancelled after a Delhi High Court order.
