Kanimozhi given bail concession: CBI

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The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday admitted in the Supreme Court that it made a 'concession' for granting bail to DMK MP Kanimozhi and four others in the 2G scam case by not opposing it before the trial court, which is expected to give its verdict on November 3.

However, the CBI made a categorical statement before a bench of justices G.S. Singhvi and H.L. Dattu that the 'concession' was given only to the five accused and was not available to “anybody else” facing trial in the case.

“During the course of hearing of bail applications of some accused submission was made that this concession is only to five persons, nobody else. It has been left to the discretion of the trial court to take a decision,” said additional solicitor-general Haren Raval, appearing for the CBI.

After recording the statement to this effect by Mr Raval, the apex court bench reserved its verdict on the bail pleas of five corporate honchos whose counsel had questioned the legality of the 'dual stand' of the CBI.

Besides Ms Kanimozhi, the CBI had not opposed the bail pleas of Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Kuesegaon Fruits and Vegetables directors Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agrawal and Bollywood producer Karim Morani, making a distinction on the basis of the maximum sentence of five years prescribed for the specific charges framed against them, while the other accused whose bail was opposed by the agency faced specific charges carrying a maximum sentence of seven years.

On the basis of this distinction, the CBI counsel in the trial court had challenged the bail pleas of Mr R.K. Chandolia, ex-private secretary to former communications minister A. Raja, and DB Reality’s Shahid Balwa.