2G: Will Raja get bail after 15 months in jail?

It is a crucial day for former telecom minister A Raja. After 15 months in the jail over the 2G scam, a Delhi court is likely to pronounce its verdict on his bail plea. This is the first time that he has sought bail in the 15 months that he's been in jail since his arrest in February, 2011.

Special CBI Judge OP Saini had on May 11 reserved his order on Raja's bail plea for Tuesday after hearing arguments from the CBI and counsel for the DMK MP. The DMK MP had filed the bail plea on the ground of parity with other 13 co-accused who have all been granted relief by the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court and the special court trying the case. A Raja has sought bail on the ground of parity with the other co-accused who have already been granted bail by different courts. But the CBI countered this argument in court last week by saying that since Raja was the starting point of this entire conspiracy, he could not be held at parity with the other co-accused. Another point that Raja's lawyers raised was that the evidence in the case was documentary in nature and therefore, there was little chance that if he was out of jail, he could influence the evidence in this case. To counter this, the CBI pointed out that a part of the investigation into a deal allegedly done to favour Raja, was still pending and also witnesses in this case were from Tamil Nadu, a state from which Raja hails from. During the probe, it has come to light that Raja and others received bribe of another Rs 200 crore in connection with the spectrum scam, it said. The CBI prosecutor had raised questions on Raja's alleged links with Mauritius-based Delphi Investment Ltd, in which Reliance Telecom Ltd had allegedly transferred its shares and said if released on bail at this stage, he might tamper with the evidence. "It is suspected that there may be involvement of public servants, including accused A Raja and his family members etc, in the affairs of the said companies (Delphi)," the prosecutor had said. Raja has sought bail saying the Supreme Court, while granting bail to former Telecom Secretary Sidharth Behura, had not distinguished the case of public servant with others. Raja's counsel had also said that he and Behura are facing similar charges of abatement, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust. (With additional information from PTI)