CBI witness identifies Anil Ambani’s signature in 2G case

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On Monday in the 2G spectrum allocation scam a CBI witness, deposing before a special CBI court identified the signature of Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani on the documents attached to the account opening form of AAA Consultancy Services Co. (P) Ltd, allegedly an “associate” firm of Reliance ADAG.

Deposing as a CBI witness, Hasit Shukla, President of Reliance Communications (P) Limited, identified the signatures of Anil Ambani and his wife Tina Ambani on the documents attached to the account opening form of AAA Consultancy Services Co. (P) Ltd.

“I have been shown a photocopy of the account opening form of AAA Consultancy Services Co. (P) Limited for opening current account with ICICI Bank Limited….At page 19 of this document are the photographs of Anil D Ambani and Tina A Ambani with their signatures at points A and B, which I identify.

“I also identify the signatures of Anil D Ambani and Tina Ambani at points A and B on page 13,” Shukla told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

The CBI, in its charge sheet filed on April 2, 2011, had alleged AAA Consultancy Services Co. (P) Limited was one of the associate companies of Reliance ADAG, whose group firm Reliance Telecom Limited had used Swan Telecom, an ineligible company, as its front to get the costly 2G licences.

Three top executives of Reliance ADAG — Gautam Doshi, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara — along with Reliance Telecom Ltd, Swan Telecom and its promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka are facing trial in the case.

Shukla told the court that he was the company secretary of Reliance Communications Limited between May, 2005 and May, 2011 and in 2007, he “may have been” the director of about 35-38 companies of Reliance ADAG, including Reliance Innoventures (P) Limited, AAA Communications (P) Limited, AAA Project Ventures (P) Limited, ADAE Ventures (P) Limited and others.

On being shown the minutes of the board meeting of ADAE Ventures (P) Limited held on January 3, 2006, Shukla said the minutes were signed by Tina Ambani as the chairperson.

The recording Shukla’s statement remained inconclusive and would continue on Tuesday.

The CBI, in its charge sheet, had alleged that in January-February 2007, the three top executives of Reliance ADAG “in furtherance of their common intention to cheat the Department of Telecommunication (DoT), structured/created net worth of company Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd out of funds arranged from Reliance Telecom Ltd.”

The company and its officials have denied the allegations leveled by the CBI against them in the court.

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