Innovative Punishments: Delhi HC Orders 2G Scam Accused To Plant Trees For Delay in Replying to ED

Swan Telecom’s promoter Shahid Balwa, the director of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables, Rajeev Agarwal and three firms have been ordered by the Delhi High Court to plant 3,000 trees each in the Delhi’s South Ridge forest area, reports Business Standard.

This penalty has been imposed in response to the parties asking for more time to respond to Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea against their acquittal in the 2G scam case.

The plantation of trees should be done before the next date of the hearing, said the High Court. It also directed all the accused to appear before the Deputy Conservator of Forests on 15 February to get the locations where the trees have to be planted.

The companies also need to maintain the plants until the monsoons. Justice Nazmi Waziri, has granted them one final opportunity to file their responses by 15 February.

The special CBI court had acquitted all the accused in December 2017 stating that the onus of the scam could not be placed on anybody due to the lack of clarity in telecom policy.

The CBI had also in its appeal before the court, alleged that telecom companies were given 2G spectrum and licences for peanuts during A Raja’s second term as the telecom minister in 2008.