The special CBI court to try the 2G case on Friday reserved its judgment on granting bail to five corporate executives accused in the 2G spectrum scam.
Judge OP Saini will deliver his verdict on Wednesday, April 20, on the bail applications moved by Vinod Goenka of Swan Telecom, Sanjay Chandra of Unitech and three officials of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhani Ambani Group ? Gautam Doshi, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara.
These five executives were chargesheeted by the CBI on April 2 and they subsequently had filed for bail on April 13.
These executives have been named co-accused along with former telecom minister A Raja, his personal aide RK Chandolia, former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura, and Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa, all of whom are in judicial custody.
Special Public Prosecutor UU Lalit, appearing on behalf of the CBI, sought ?detention? of the five executives for their alleged role in the 2G scam, saying that there was every likelihood that the accused ?will abscond? in order to avoid smooth trial in the scam.
Opposing the bail pleas, the CBI said that ?the accused are holding high positions and now that the names of witnesses are disclosed, some of whom are directly working under (them) or are amenable to their directions, possibility of winning over and/or influencing the witnesses is clearly present?.
Lalit also said that considering the gravity of the offences, allegations and the cases made out against them, granting of bail would not be the right thing to do.
?The act complained of and offences alleged are far serious having made deep inroads in public interest and financial affairs of the state,? the central investigating agency said.
He said even though the CBI did not arrest these people at any stage that does not mean that they cannot be arrested now.
Giving details of the ?criminal role? of the Reliance Telecom executives, the CBI said the investigation show that it was ?his (Gautam Doshi?s) brain, which used Swan Telecom as front company of Reliance ADA Group to apply for UAS licences disguising the actual ownership and control?. For this he allegedly ?forged crucial documents? of Swan, promoted by Shahid Usman Balwa. Similar allegations were made against Goenka by saying DB Realty had ?conspired? with Raja and DoT officials to secure UAS licences. Senior counsel Mukul Rohatagi, KTS Tulsi, Ranjit Kumar and others, appearing for the five corporate honchos, vehemently opposed Lalit by arguing that the accused were entitled to be released on bail and there was no apprehension that they will abscond or tamper with the evidence.