Former bureaucrat’s bail plea rejected in 2G scam (Lead)
June 3rd, 2011 - 6:39 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, June 3 (IANS) A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here Friday dismissed the bail plea of former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura, who is in jail in the 2G spectrum allocation case.
CBI special Judge O.P. Saini said: “Considering the magnitude of the crime and enormity of the allegation, character of evidence on record and the apprehension that the witnesses may be influenced.
“Bail application is without merit and the same is dismissed,” said the court.
Behura is a co-accused in the scam along with former communications minister A. Raja, who is also in prison.
Pleading for bail, counsel Aman Lekhi said that Behura being the secretary of the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) at that time, had only implemented the policy which was finalised by the cabinet.
“Therefore, why should he be made an accused in the case as he has only performed his duty? He should be released as he is just a small cog in the wheel,” Lekhi argued before the judge.
“Accused is since retired and not in a position to influence any witness. Moreover, his wife is suffering from cancer and, if released on bail, he can look after her,” said Lekhi.
The CBI prosecutor said that after Behura joined the department Jan 1, 2008, he started following a policy that was non-existent till then.
The CBI’s first chargesheet April 2 had named Raja, Behura, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, Raja’s aide R.K. Chandolia, Swan Telecom’s Vinod Goenka, Unitech Wireless’s Sanjay Chandra and three executives of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group — Gautam Doshi, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara.
In its April 25 supplementary chargesheet, the CBI named DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar as co-conspirators after it traced an illegal money trail of Rs.214 crore in the scam.
The supplementary chargesheet also named Cineyug Films founder Karim Morani, Asif Balwa and Rajiv B. Aggarwal of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd.
The scam relates to alleged irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum to telecom firms, causing huge losses to the national exchequer.
- 2G scam: Former bureaucrat's bail plea rejected - Jun 03, 2011
- 2G scam: Morani's bail plea dismissed (Lead) - May 23, 2011
- 2G scam: CBI reserves order on Behura's bail plea (Lead) - May 27, 2011
- 2G case: No bail for Balwas, Rajiv Aggarwal (Lead) - May 24, 2011
- 2G case: Court reserves order on Morani's bail plea - May 26, 2011
- 2G scam: Kanimozhi, Sharad Kumar appear in CBI court (Lead) - May 06, 2011
- 2G scam: CBI opposes Siddhartha Behura's bail plea - May 26, 2011
- 2G scam: Shahid Balwa's bail decision reserved - May 18, 2011
- 2G scam: Morani's bail decision Monday (Lead) - May 21, 2011
- 2G scam: Morani exempted from appearance third time - May 12, 2011
- 2G scam: Kanimozhi applies for bail (Second Lead) - May 06, 2011
- Cineyug director Morani seeks anticipatory bail - May 02, 2011
- 2G case: Court rejects bail for Balwas, Rajiv Aggarwal (Second Lead) - May 24, 2011
- 2G scam: Five corporate honchos' bail verdict Monday - May 22, 2011
- 2G scam: Morani's bail plea dismissed (Third Lead) - May 23, 2011
Tags: anil dhirubhai ambani group, asif, bail plea, cbi court, central bureau of investigation, doshi, enormity, fruits and vegetables, goenka, hari nair, illegal money, money trail, morani, saini, sharad, siddhartha, special judge, spectrum allocation, tv chief, vinod