The 2G spectrum scam case on Friday entered a crucial stage with a Delhi court commencing the trial amidst protest by former telecom minister and prime accused A Raja refusing to cross-examine witnesses saying trial cannot start when the probe is still underway.

"Ask the public prosecutor (PP) whether investigation is complete. He knows it all in and out. I cannot understand why you (judge) do not wait for the investigation to be over. Just note my status, I refuse (to cross examine the prosecution witnesses)," senior advocate Sushil Kumar, appearing for Raja, told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

Raja's counsel said the CBI has submitted in the supreme court that investigation in relation to Loop Telecom, which was also granted 2G licences, is still going on.

"Loop telecom is under examination. The supreme court is seized of the matter. These are grounds good enough. You can defer it (trial) simply. Why they (CBI) do not make a simple statement whether investigation is complete?," he asked.

He, however, clarified that he is not interfering with the trial but would not cross examine the prosecution witnesses until the probe in the case is complete.

"I do not want to interfere with the trial. Let them (CBI) say that investigation in this FIR is complete as per all these 17 accused," he said.

The court, however, said this cannot be a ground to consider Raja's plea for not going ahead with the trial.

"I may allow your (Raja) application on some other grounds but not on this ground," the special judge said.

The court proceeded with the trial and recorded statement of Anand Subramaniam, Vice President of Reliance Capital Ltd.

Besides Subramaniam, the recording of statement of Group President of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) A N Sethuraman remained inconclusive and would continue on November 14.

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Friday blockbuster: Court begins trial in 2G spectrum case

Trial on Friday commenced in a Delhi court in the 2G spectrum allocation case in which former telecom minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi, corporate honchos and telecom firms are among the high-profile accused.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini started recording statement of Anand Subramaniam, assistant vice president of Reliance Capital Ltd, as a prosecution witness.

The court had also summoned for today two other prosecution witnesses -- group president of Reliance A N Sethuraman and chief regulatory officer of Etisalat DB Telecom Pvt Ltd Vinod Kumar Budhiraja -- for their examination.

The CBI, in its first list, had submitted names of 28 persons to be examined as prosecution witnesses before the court in the month of November.

The court after framing charges against 17 accused, including three telecom firms, had slated the trial to begin from Friday.

In the first list, out of 28, 11 witnesses are from Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) which suggest that the agency wants to deal first with the charges against accused firms Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL) and Shahid Usman Balwa promoted Swan Telecom.

Besides Raja and Kanimozhi, the court had framed charges against Reliance ADAG managing director Gautam Doshi, its group president Surendra Pipara, its senior vice president Hari Nair, Shahid Usman Balwa, Unitech Ltd's MD Sanjay Chandra, DB Realty MD Vinod Goenka, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar and Bollywood filmmaker Karim Morani.

Former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Raja's former private secretary R K Chandolia, directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajeev Agarwal, and three telecom firms -- RTL, Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd have also been put on trial in the case.

The charges framed against all the accused under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act deal with offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, faking documents, abusing official position, getting bribe and criminal misconduct by public servant.

The offences entail punishment ranging from six months in jail to life imprisonment.

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DMK distances itself from MP's pooja for Kanimozhi's release

DMK on Friday distanced itself from special poojas reportedly conducted by its rajya sabha member for jailed MP Kanimozhi, terming it as a "unilateral act" which lacked the party's consent.

"This unilateral act by Vasanthy Stanley did not have the party headquarters' consent. We like to clarify that the party is not connected to it in any way," DMK's Organising Secretary TKS Elangovan, MP, said in a statement here referring to reports in a section of media.

Stanley had reportedly conducted special poojas at a temple in Kancheepuram on Thursday, seeking the early release of Kanimozhi from jail even as the trial in the 2G spectrum allocation scam started on Friday in a Delhi special court.

Kanimozhi, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi's daughter, has been in Tihar Jail since her arrest in connection with the 2G case on May 20.

Rationalism is a stated policy of DMK and party chief M Karunanidhi had reprimanded some senior colleagues for offering prayers or involving themselves in religious activities.