After the trial court framed charges in the 2G scam, the CBI on Monday did not oppose the bail applications of DMK MP Kanimozhi and four others, raising their hope of gaining freedom after nearly six months of incarceration.
But their hopes of getting out of jail before Diwali was dashed with special judge O.P. Saini reserving his verdict till November 3.
Besides Ms Kanimozhi, CBI special prosecutor Udai Lalit did not oppose the bail plea of Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables directors Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal and Bollywood producer Karim Morani. But the CBI opposed bail applications by Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa and former communications minister A. Raja’s private secretary R.K. Chandolia, with its counsel making a distinction between two sets of accused — on the basis of charges carrying the maximum sentence of five years or more.
These seven accused — out of a total 17 arrested by the CBI — moved bail petitions after the trial court framed charges on October 22 against all the accused under various IPC sections as well as the Prevention of Corruption Act, including the stringent Section 409 IPC against a few for breach of trust.
Mr Lalit said the court could impose stringent conditions on Ms Kanimozhi and four others whose bail was not opposed by the investigative agency.
“As public prosecutor, my duty is to see that offences for which these accused are charged carries a maximum punishment of five years. We have no objection. We are not opposing their bail pleas... I would humbly request the court to consider bail pleas of these five accused,” he said.
“Let’s put Shahid Balwa and Chandolia in a different category... At this juncture I am opposing the bail pleas of Chandolia and Balwa,” the prosecutor said.