NEW DELHI, May 11:
The CBI today opposed in a Delhi Court the bail plea of former Telecom Minister A Raja, facing trial in the 2G case, saying during its probe it has come to light that the DMK leader and others received bribe of Rs.200 crore in connection with the spectrum scam.
The agency also raised questions on his alleged links with Mauritius-based Delphi Investment Ltd, in which Reliance Telecom Ltd had allegedly transferred its shares.
CBI prosecutor A K Singh told Special CBI Judge O P Saini that Raja and other public servants may have received Rs 200 crore as bribe which has now come into light.
“This Court had issued letter rogatory for a suspected bribe amount from Reliance (RTL) people through Delphi. This accused (Raja) and other public servants are also involved in other tranche of Rs 200 crore which they have received as bribe and this was not known earlier and has come up during the investigation,” he said.
The prosecutor said the probe in the Delphi case has been going on and if Raja is released on bail at this stage, he might tamper with the “likely evidence and influence the witnesses”.
“The investigation abroad regarding the shareholding structure, management, directors, beneficiaries and other connected facts of Delphi Investment Ltd and its holding companies etc is still pending.
“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,” he told the Court which reserved the order on bail plea for May 15.
The prosecutor said the Court had already issued letters rogatory (LR) for the probe into the suspected bribe amount paid to public servants allegedly from Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL) through Delphi Investment Ltd.
Raja, who has spent over 15 months in Tihar jail, had moved his bail plea for the first time on Wednesday seeking parity with 13 other 2G accused who are all out on bail.
During arguments, senior counsel Ramesh Gupta, appearing for Raja, said other co-accused have been granted the relief from Courts and even the Supreme Court, in its order granting bail to former telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura, had not distinguished the case of a public servant with others.
Raja’s advocate said the Supreme Court had repeatedly held that “bail is a rule and jail is an exception” and the other 13 co-accused in the case have been granted bail by the apex Court, the Delhi High Court and the trial Court.
He also cited the order of the special judge granting bail to Raja’s former private secretary R K Chandolia, a co-accused in the case, saying that it had observed that despite being a public servant, he deserved bail.
“This Court, in its order granting bail to Chandolia, had observed that though he is a public servant, still he deserves bail. You (judge) had said in your order that Raja and Behura are placed on different footing with Chandolia and out of them, Behura has already been granted bail by the Supreme Court,” Gupta said.
Pressing for bail, Gupta said probe in the case has been completed and the charge sheets have been filed by the CBI so no useful purpose would be served by keeping Raja in custody.
Equating the case of Raja with Behura, he said both are facing charges of abatement, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
He said the CBI’s apprehension that Raja would tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses is misplaced as he is no longer a Minister and he knows if he disrespects the system, fingers would be pointed towards him.
“Raja is no longer a Cabinet Minister and he is no longer near the department (DoT). He is in custody for the longest period as on today and the record will show that he is the most co-operative person as compared to others in the trial. (PTI)
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