New Delhi: Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani yesterday deposed before a special court here as a prosecution witness in the 2G spectrum allocation case and said he was not aware of any company named Swan Telecom.
“I’m not aware of any company called Swan Telecom,” Ambani replied in the special court of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), presided over by Judge O P Saini, when asked by the prosecution if he knew this firm that was given telecom spectrum and licence in 2008.
The main allegations of the probe agency, prompting it to call Ambani as a witness, is that Swan Telecom was a shell company of the Anil Ambani Group, ineligible for telecom spectrum and licence — a matter that has been strongly denied by the defence.
The court concluded recording the statement of Anil Ambani over two sessions and then called his wife Tina Ambani Friday at 2 p.m. In fact, Anil Ambani also told the judge that his wife will depose Friday in the court.
“Tina Ambani will appear tomorrow,” he said.
The markets reacted positively to the day’s development, with the shares of Reliance Communications ending 5.67 percent higher at `121.15. Among the other group companies, Reliance Power ended 3.68 percent higher, while Reliance Capital gained 6.02 percent.
While giving his statement, Ambani refuted the claim of the probe agency that Swan Telecom was a shell company of his group.
“It is wrong to suggest that Swan Telecom was a shell company of my group. It was wrong to suggest that it was in my knowledge that Swan had applied for UAS licence (telecom licence) for Jammu and Kashmir service area in 2007,” Ambani said.
“I cannot recall if Reliance Telecom had made an investment to the extent of 9.9 percent in the equity shares in Swan Telecom,” he said, while denying another claim by the CBI during his visit to its headquarters here.
“I visited the CBI office in connection with this case. However, at that time, I did not hand over any note to the CBI officer,” Ambani said in his statement.
When queried by the judge, Ambani also said he was making his statement voluntarily and as per his own free will.
The court had Wednesday said summoning Anil Ambani and his wife as prosecution witnesses “will not cause any prejudice to the accused facing trial in the case”. IANS
