2G scam: CBI likely to respond on 'doublespeak'

New Delhi: The CBI is likely to respond on the 2G scam case on Tuesday after the Supreme Court questioned its doublespeak on bail applications of five accused including A Raja and Kanimozhi.

The court asked the CBI that if it was sure they won't tamper with evidence, then why did it keep the executives behind bars. The SC also asked the CBI why were they kept in jail if the agency didn't want to interrogate them further.

Earlier the CBI told the SC it would oppose the bail applications of all the accused in the trial court. But on October 24 CBI Counsel Lalit had not opposed the bail for the five accused in the 2G case.

On Monday, a bench of Justices GS Singhvi and H L Dattu asked the Additional Solicitor General Haren Raval to make a statement before it on Tuesday in this regard after it was pleaded by other accused in the case that the investigating agency should also treat them on equal footing as far as bail is concerned.

The court was hearing bail pleas of five corporate five corporate honchos who pleaded that they should be released as there is no chance of them tampering with the evidence.

The investigating agency, however, opposed the bail plea of corporate executives - Unitech Wireless' MD Sanjay Chandra, Swan Telecom's Director Vinod Goenka and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group's executives Hari Nair, Gautam Doshi and Surrendra Pipara - who have approached the apex court for bail.

Earlier the agency on October 24 did not oppose the bail plea of Kanimozhi, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Asif Balwa, Rajiv Agarwal and Bollywood producer Karim Morani before a special CBI court here.

It had, however, opposed bail plea of Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa and former telecom minister A Raja's ex-private secretary RK Chandolia in the trial court.

Other accused in the case include Raja, former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura and three telecom firms Reliance Telecom Ltd, Swan Telecom and Unitech (Tamil Nadu) Wireless Ltd.

All the accused have pleaded that they have not done anything wrong and refuted the charge of drawing illegal benefits in allocation of 2G spectrum.