NEW DELHI – Former telecom minister A Raja on Tuesday completed six months behind bars for 2G scam, a rarity in a country not used to seeing a neta remain in jail for long.
Raja was picked up by CBI on February 2 this year for allegedly manipulating procedures in allocation of 2G spectrum licences along with retired IAS officer Siddhartha Behura, who was telecom secretary in 2008, and Raja’s personal secretary R K Chandolia. The move came after SC stepped in and turned the heat on CBI for its lethargic investigations into the scam.
Now, once the special CBI court finishes arguments on framing of charges in the case, it is likely that Raja might go in for regular bail as by then the circumstances would have changed from the time since his arrest – a common ground on which courts decide whether to grant bail or not. The six-month wait is also likely to blunt the CBI’s expected arguments that freeing the prime accused may result in him tampering evidence or threatening witnesses in the case.
