The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by the Central Bureau of Investigation for an early hearing of a petition against the acquittals in the 2G spectrum allocation case, PTI reported. The hearing of the petition is scheduled on October 24.

Justice AK Chawla said the case would be heard on the scheduled date, and all parties would be expected to come for the hearing. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, representing the CBI, told the court that the early hearing was necessary as the country could soon face a lot of arbitration under bilateral investment treaties.

“If we lose on merit, we lose. But we should not lose on account of the matter not being heard,” Bar and Bench quoted Jain as saying. “There are large number of respondents...[due to] something or the other, the matter kept getting adjourned. Now we are seeing repercussions.”

The counsel for the accused was opposed to the application, stating that the arguments by the agency were not part of the application.

On December 21, 2017, a special court acquitted Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders A Raja and Kanimozhi and others in cases registered by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. In March 2018, both the investigating agencies approached the Delhi High Court against the acquittals.

The court then issued notices to the accused, but the case has not moved forward since then, according to Bar and Bench. On May 31 this year, the CBI moved the Delhi High Court for an early hearing.

The CBI has alleged the exchequer lost Rs 30,984 crore because of the way licences for 2G spectrum were allocated when Raja was Union telecom minister. The licenses were scrapped by the Supreme Court on February 2, 2012.

Raja, Kanimozhi and 15 others were tried under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act dealing with offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, using fake documents as genuine, abusing official position, criminal misconduct by public servant and taking bribes.