2G case: Raja has few legal options

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The granting of bail to former communications minister A. Raja after almost 15 months’ incarceration in the 2G case would hardly make any difference for him legally.

The case has progressed much ahead and the monitoring by the Supreme Court has left little scope for any ‘legal manoeuvring’ like moving any review petition against the charges framed.

Some of the accused had attempted a challenge in the Delhi HC on the framing of the charge earlier but the same were rejected citing the SC order restraining other courts below to interfere in the case. Besides, the SC also had dismissed Raja’s petition for review of its verdict cancelling the 2G licences in which his role was bitterly criticised.

Though Raja’s lawyer Vijay Aggrawal after the bail order said that the former minister would be able to plead his case with far greater freedom but there hardly had been any
impediment in this regard as he already had complete access to his lawyers even though he himself is a lawyer.

Raja, in his review petition before the SC, had raised the question of ‘natural justice’ stating that he was ‘condemned’ by the top court without issuing him notice while hearing two PILs on the 2G issue.

However, the top court in its order had said that his apprehension was without any basis as his role was discussed in a particular context, which would have no bearing on the ongoing trial against him.

The top court, while rejecting Raja’s review petition, had said: “We have carefully perused the records and are satisfied that the judgment of which the review has been sought does not suffer from any error apparent. We are convinced that there is no valid ground, much less justification, to entertain the prayer made by the applicant (Raja).”

The Supreme Court also had said that in all its orders it has been emphatically made clear that any observations made by the top court would not come in the way of the special judge holding the trial with complete freedom.

The top court had tightened the scope for any ‘legal maneuvering’ by any accused to ensure that no technical hitch was created in smooth trail proceedings. The only major gain at this stage for Raja was that he would be able to attend Parliament during the current session as an important Lok Sabha MP of the DMK as he is considered to be a ‘blue-eyed boy’ of its supremo M. Karunanidhi.