2G case: A Raja granted bail

New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) A Raja, the main accused in the Rupees 300.0 billion (about USD 5.7 billion) 2G telecom spectrum allocation scam who had desisted from applying for bail for over fifteen months, was today granted freedom by a Delhi court which dismissed investigating agency CBI's apprehensions that he will tamper with evidence. The 49-year-old former India telecom minister and currently MP, was granted bail by the special 2G court on an application filed by him last week, holding that his further detention would not serve any purpose as all the other 13 co-accused have already been out of jail. Considering the period of detention in the light of the progress of the case, the court said it was of the opinion that further detention of Raja would not serve any purpose. In his 14-page order, Special CBI Judge O P Saini imposed several conditions on Raja including a ban on his visit to his home state of Tamil Nadu or the Department of Telecom (DoT) which he presided over as minister for over three years. He was also asked to furnish a personal bond of Rs 2.0 million with two sureties of the like amount and surrender his passport. He had resigned as minister in November 2010 in the wake of the eruption of 2G scam, into whose probe the Supreme Court had given stern directions. Arrested by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) on February 1 last year, Raja had moved his first bail application only five day ago, minutesafter the Supreme Court had granted bail to the co-accused and former India telecom secretary Siddharth Behura. "We are very happy with the order. No celebrations. Our whole family will have a get together after a very long time," Raja's wife Parameswari said when asked about Raja, who was in jail since February 2 last year. The court also noted that the trial in the case has been going on smoothly and there was no allegation that Raja would flee from justice if he is enlarged on bail. "I may note that all the other accused in the case have also been released on bail. The applicant (Raja) is in custody since February 2, 2011. Considering the period of detention in the light of the progress of the case, I am of the opinion that further detention of the accused would not serve any purpose. Raja had sought bail on the ground of parity as other 13 co-accused have already secured bail either from the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court or the trial court. He has alleged the case against him is "false and fabricated" and "not sustainable in law." The CBI had vehemently opposed Raja's bail, saying he could not be released on the ground of parity as the charges levelled against him were of serious nature. The agency has alleged that DMK-run Kalaignar TV had received Rs 2.0 billion as bribe from Shahid Balwa's DB Group through a circuitous route as a quid pro quo for favours shown by Raja in spectrum allocation. The agency has also claimed that during the probe, it had come to light that Raja and others had received a bribe of another Rs 2.0 billion from certain companies under its scanner in connection with the spectrum scam. PTI