Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) Some distributed chocolates and sweets, but some broke into tears as the news of the Supreme Court granting bail to five of the 14 accused in the 2G spectrum allocation case reached the Patiala House courtroom where their trial is on since Nov 11.

As mobile phones flashed news that the five - Sanjay Chandra of Unitech Wireless, Vinod Goenka of Swan Telecom as well as Reliance Group’s Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair - were granted bail, there was instant jubilation in the packed courtroom.

The families of the five erupted into joy, congratulating and embracing one another. The five accused, who too were present in the courtroom, found it difficult to hide their relief and happiness.

But, if the families of the five had cause to cheer, there were some whose eyes welled up too.

Realising that their husbands will still continue to remain behind bars, the wives of Swan Telecom’s Shahid Usman Balwa and former telecom minister A. Raja’s private secretary R.K. Chandolia broke into tears.

Although, Raja and his party colleague Kanimozhi of the DMK wore impassive faces, they congratulated the five. Raja is in jail since Feb 2, while Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha member and daughter of DMK chief and former Tamil Nadu chief minister K.Karunanidhi, has been imprisoned since May 20.

A Supreme Court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice H.L. Dattu ordered the release of the five co-accused, in custody since April, on a surety of Rs.5 lakh each but also allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to seek a review if the bail was misused.

As the news spread fast in the courtroom, there was chaos.

Seeing the commotion in the courtroom, CBI Special Judge O.P. Saini reacted strongly and asked everyone except the accused and the lawyers to vacate the courtroom. Media persons also were asked to leave the room.

The cross-examination then began afresh.

“They (the accused) are advised in their own interest not to indulge in such acts as it distracts and disturbs the court proceedings,” the judge said.

However, there was high drama outside the court premises too.

The family members of the five accused arranged an impromptu get together - distributing sweets and chocolates. Even passers-by were invited. And of course the mediapersons, who have been covering the trial, were part of the treat.