No case against Chidambaram - Suspicion, however, strong, cannot take place of legal proof: SC
Dr. SUBRAMANIANSWAMY had filed a petition to include Finance Minister Chidambaram as an accused along with A. Raja in the Spectrum case.
The Supreme Court was not impressed and observed,
Meeting of two Ministers would not by itself be sufficient to infer the existence of a conspiracy.
Criminal conspiracy cannot be inferred on the mere fact that there were official discussions between the officers of the MoF and that of DoT and between two Ministers , which are all recorded. Suspicion, however, strong, cannot take the place of legal proof and the meeting between Shri P. Chidambaram and Shri A. Raja would not by itself be sufficient to infer the existence of a criminal conspiracy so as to indict Shri P. Chidambaram.
A wrong judgment or an inaccurate or incorrect approach or poor management by itself, even after due deliberations between Ministers or even with Prime Minister, by itself cannot be said to be a product of criminal conspiracy.
Materials on record do not show that Shri P. Chidambaram had abused his position as a Minister of Finance or conspired or colluded with A. Raja so as to fix low entry fee by non- visiting spectrum charges fixed in the year 2001.