The 2G Spectrum Scam: The ₹1.76 Lakh Crore Estimate, 122 Cancelled Licences and the 2017 Acquittals

Appeal still pending: listed 13 times since admission, arguments not begun (as of Feb 2026) Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

The latest detailed account AiTimeline could read is Hindustan Times of 28 February 2026 (Hindustan Times). It reports that the CBI appeal had been listed 13 times since March 2024 before six different benches, that arguments had not yet begun, and that the ED’s separate plea for leave to appeal, filed in 2018, was still pending and not admitted. The CBI’s counsel told the court in August 2024 that more than 18 trunks of documents had to be scanned for the paper book; one judge recused himself on 26 September 2024. On 12 February 2026 the appeals, listed before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, were adjourned to 19 May 2026.

AiTimeline found no report of what happened on 19 May 2026 or later, and could not query the court’s own case-status system, so the position after that date is unconfirmed. Until an appeal is decided, the legal position is the 2017 one: every accused was acquitted at trial.

Delhi High Court admits the CBI’s appeal against the acquittals Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

After reserving its order on 14 March 2024 “after six years and 125 listings” (Bar & Bench), the Delhi High Court on 22 March 2024 granted the CBI leave to appeal. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said: “Leave to appeal is allowed and an appeal is admitted as an appeal for hearing,” and reports said the trial judgment needed re-examination of the evidence (DT Next; Business Standard). Reports differ on the first listing after admission (20 May in some, 28 May in others).

The order did not set aside any acquittal. It decided only that the appeal deserved a full hearing. The case involves A. Raja, Kanimozhi and 15 others, 17 accused in all.

A new judge, and the CBI argues again Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

Justice Brijesh Sethi, who had been hearing the appeals, retired on 30 November 2020. On 1 December Justice Yogesh Khanna fixed 13–15 January 2021 for hearing, and the CBI had to argue afresh (DT Next). When it did, on 14 January 2021, the video-conference hearing ended early on connectivity problems, and the CBI’s counsel said about 6,500 pages of final arguments from the trial were missing from the digital records given to him (The Tribune).

Supreme Court refuses Loop Telecom a refund of its entry fee Supreme Court & fallout, 2012–22

Ten years after the cancellation, the Supreme Court rejected Loop Telecom’s petition for a refund of ₹1,454.94 crore in entry fees paid for licences that the 2012 ruling had quashed (Wikipedia, which cites the court record; the page gives 3 and 4 March in different places).

ED and CBI file appeals in the Delhi High Court Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

The Enforcement Directorate filed its appeal on 19 March 2018 and the CBI followed on 20 March (The Tribune; Hindustan Times). The CBI argued that the trial judge had ignored reliable evidence. The two agencies pursued separate cases: the CBI’s concerned the licence allocation, and the ED’s concerned alleged money laundering through Kalaignar TV.

An appeal against an acquittal is a normal legal step. It does not presume the accused are guilty.

Special CBI court acquits all accused Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

Special Judge O. P. Saini acquitted A. Raja, Kanimozhi and the other accused. He said he had sat in open court on every working day for about seven years waiting for admissible evidence and none came, and that “public perception has no place in judicial proceedings” (Udayavani; Business Today). Business Standard counted 17 acquitted (Business Standard); the CBI said it would appeal (The Quint).

The ruling covered the criminal charges before that court. It did not undo the Supreme Court’s separate 2012 decision that the licence process was unlawful, and it did not endorse the policy as good administration.

ED chargesheet in the money-laundering case Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

On 25 April 2014 the ED filed a money-laundering chargesheet against 19 accused, ten individuals and nine companies, including A. Raja, Kanimozhi and Dayalu Ammal. It alleged that ₹200 crore paid to Kalaignar TV was “not genuine” and was a bribe for telecom licences (Business Today). The special court took cognisance in May 2014, and the accused were granted bail in August (Madhyamam).

This case ran alongside the CBI trial. It ended in the same acquittals in December 2017.

Presidential reference, then a weak auction Supreme Court & fallout, 2012–22

After the ruling, the government sent a Presidential reference to the Supreme Court on 12 April 2012 asking whether auction was the only permissible way to allot all natural resources (PRS Legislative Research). The Constitution Bench later held that auction was not a constitutional requirement for every resource, while spectrum was left to be auctioned. A re-auction of the cancelled spectrum followed in November 2012; AiTimeline covers the sales and their results in its spectrum auctions timeline.

Bail for Kanimozhi and Raja Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

Kanimozhi was arrested on 20 May 2011 and granted bail on 28 November 2011 after 188 days in custody. A. Raja applied for bail on 9 May 2012 and was granted it on 15 May, after about 15 months in custody (Wikipedia). Bail is not a ruling on whether the charges are true.

Supreme Court cancels all 122 licences Supreme Court & fallout, 2012–22

The Supreme Court held the 2008 first-come, first-served allocation arbitrary and unconstitutional and quashed all 122 licences granted from 10 January 2008. It imposed fines of ₹5 crore each on Unitech Wireless, Swan Telecom and Tata Teleservices and ₹50 lakh each on Loop Telecom, S Tel, Allianz Infratech and Sistema Shyam (Wikipedia). Review petitions were dismissed on 4 April 2012, apart from a partial review sought by the government.

This was a ruling on the legality of the process, in public-interest litigation. It was not a criminal conviction of anyone.

Charges framed and trial begins Trial, acquittal & appeal, 2011–26

On 22 October 2011 the special CBI court found prima facie evidence to try 17 accused, and the trial began on 11 November 2011 (Wikipedia). By 11 November 2012, 77 of 154 prosecution witnesses had been examined. A chargesheet records allegations; the trial is where they are tested.

Three CBI chargesheets Audit & arrests, 2009–11

The CBI filed its first chargesheet on 2 April 2011, a second on 25 April and a third on 12 December 2011, which named Essar and Loop Telecom figures (Wikipedia). The prosecution alleged that selected firms were favoured in the licence process and that the exchequer suffered as a result.

A. Raja is arrested Audit & arrests, 2009–11

The CBI arrested the former telecom minister along with Siddharth Behura, his former telecom secretary, and R. K. Chandolia, his former private secretary (Wikipedia). Executives of Swan, Unitech and the Reliance group were arrested in the following months. Kanimozhi was arrested on 20 May 2011.

CAG report tabled: the ₹1.76 lakh crore estimate Audit & arrests, 2009–11

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s performance audit of the allocation of 2G spectrum was tabled in Parliament on 16 November 2010 (CAG). The CAG put the presumptive loss on the 2007–08 allocations (122 licences plus 35 dual-technology approvals) at ₹1,76,645 crore, using the price discovered in the 2010 3G auction as its benchmark (Business Today). The government rejected the figure as baseless and erroneous, and the CAG defended it.

It was not a finding that money was stolen, and no court has adopted it as a measure of loss. The draft brief gives 10 November as the date; that is when the report is reported to have been submitted, and 16 November is the tabling date.

A. Raja resigns as Telecom Minister Audit & arrests, 2009–11

Raja resigned amid growing pressure in Parliament and the press (Wikipedia). Kapil Sibal was given charge of the Telecom Ministry the next day. The resignation was a political consequence of the allegations, not a legal finding.

CBI registers a case Audit & arrests, 2009–11

The CBI registered a case on the allocation of 2G licences by the Department of Telecommunications and began examining the application process, eligibility and the order in which licences were issued. The CBI registered it against unknown DoT officers and unknown private persons or companies under the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, following a Central Vigilance Commission direction (Deccan Herald).

Swan and Unitech sell stakes at far higher valuations Allocation, 2007–09

Swan Telecom paid about ₹1,537 crore for its licences and sold 45% to Etisalat for about ₹4,200 crore. Unitech Wireless paid about ₹1,661 crore and sold 60% to Telenor for about ₹6,200 crore. Tata Teleservices sold 26% to NTT DoCoMo at an enterprise value of about ₹50,269 crore (Wikipedia). Critics used these deals to argue that the licences were underpriced. Figures are approximate and rounded from the source.

122 licences issued, first-come, first-served Allocation, 2007–09

On 10 January 2008 the Department of Telecommunications issued Letters of Intent on a first-come, first-served basis, with payments due within hours. Over 2008 a total of 122 licences were granted at 2001-era prices, to firms including Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless (Wikipedia). Critics said that changing the cut-off and the timing of the announcement favoured some applicants; the Supreme Court later agreed that the process was arbitrary. The criminal court did not find the charges proved.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh writes to A. Raja Allocation, 2007–09

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote to the telecom minister on 2 November 2007 urging a transparent method such as auction where legally and technically feasible, and a revised entry fee, since the existing fee dated from 2001 (Business Today, reporting the CAG). The CAG said the minister rejected many of the suggestions. A witness account reported by Deccan Herald describes letters running in both directions that day. The exchange is part of the record on process; it is not proof of criminal conduct by anyone.

Applications flood in and the cut-off is moved Allocation, 2007–09

The Department of Telecommunications received 575 applications for unified access service licences from 46 companies, and the cut-off date was advanced from 1 October to 25 September 2007 (Wikipedia). Mobile telephony was growing fast, so licences were commercially valuable and the criteria mattered.