2G scam: Morani appears in court, moves bail plea (Lead)

May 24th, 2011 - 11:14 pm ICT by IANS  

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Cineyug Films’ founder Karim Morani, named as co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, moved a bail plea after he made his first appearance in the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here Tuesday.

Since May 6, Morani was exempted from personal appearance in court. He appeared before the court after his anticipatory bail plea on health grounds was dismissed Monday.

His fresh application was taken note of by CBI Special Judge O.P. Siani who said: “Morani’s bail plea will be heard on May 26. Till that time status quo will be maintained.”

The court directed Morani to appear before it daily.

“In view of the medical condition of the accused being normal and stable, I am satisfied that no case for anticipatory bail on medical grounds is made out. The application is without merit and same is dismissed,” said Judge Saini Monday.

In his arguments before the court last week, defence counsel Sidharth Luthra said that Morani, 52, was suffering from various ailments for the last 31 years.

Luthra said Morani had undergone angioplasty in 1991, 1993 and 1997, and had an open heart surgery in 2007.

He also said that Morani had received a sixth bypass graft and required reboring of his two major vessels. He had also been advised complete rest due to a chest pain.

DMK leaders M.K. Stalin and T.R. Baalu were also present in the court to attend the proceedings after their party MP and co-accused Kanimozhi was brought in a police van from Tihar Jail.

The CBI’s first charge sheet April 2 named, besides former communications minister A. Raja, former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, Raja’s aide R.K.Chandolia, Swan Telecom’s Vinod Goenka, Unitech’s Wireless Sanjay Chandra and three executives of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group - Gautam Doshi, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara.

In its April 25 supplementary charge sheet, the CBI named DMK chief M. Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV managing director Sharad Kumar as co-conspirators after it traced an illegal money trail of Rs.214 crore in the scam.

The supplementary charge sheet also named Karim Morani as well as Asif Balwa and Rajeev Agarwal of Kusegaon Realty.

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