2G scam: release warrant issued for Kanimozhi, 5 other accused

New Delhi, Nov 29 (PTI) A local Delhi court today issued a warrant for release of 6 accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, including DMK party MP Kanimozhi. Besides Kanimozhi, those for whom the release warrant was issued are Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, Bollywood filmmaker Karim Morani and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd directors Rajiv Aggarwal and Asif Balwa. All of them are lodged in the city's Tihar jail. Although Kanimozhi, Kumar, Morani, Asif and Rajiv were granted bail by the Delhi High Court yesterday, they could furnish their bail bond before Special CBI Judge O P Saini only today. Earlier in the day, the court granted bail to Shahid Balwa after the Central Bureau of Investigation chose not to oppose his plea in wake of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court orders granting bail to other co-accused. After today's order only three out of 14 accused persons -- former Telecom Minister A Raja, former Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura and Raja's former Private Secretary R K Chandolia -- in the 2G scam will remain in jail. The Supreme Court had on November 23 freed on bail five corporate executives -- Unitech Limited's MD Sanjay Chandra, Swan Telecom's Director Vinod Goenka and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group's executives Hari Nair, Gautam Doshi and Surrendra Pipara. All the accused, who were given bail, have been asked to surrender their passports to the trial court and not to leave the country without its permission and to attend the court everyday. The 2G spectrum scam pertains to allocation of scarce airwaves for second generation mobile phone service in India in 2008 at rates decided in 2001, instead of taking recourse to auction and thereby causing loss to the country's exchequer. PTI