2G: CBI likely to oppose bail pleas of 5 corporate honchos in SC

The CBI is likely to oppose the bail of five corporate honchos in the Supreme Court which is to hear their petitions in connection with the 2G scam on Monday, days after it did not object to the bail pleas of DMK MP Kanimozhi and four others in the trial court.

Sources in the investigating agency confirmed that it has instructed the lawyer to oppose the plea of corporate executives - Unitech Wireless MD Sanjay Chandra, Swan Telecom director Vinod Goenka and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group executives Hari Nair, Gautam Doshi and Surrendra Pipara - who have approached the apex court for bail.

Earlier, the agency on October 24 did not oppose the bail plea of Kanimozhi, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Asif Balwa, Rajiv Agarwal and Bollywood producer Karim Morani before a special CBI court in New Delhi.

It had, however, opposed bail plea of Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa and A Raja's former private secretary RK Chandolia in the trial court.

Monday's proceedings in the Supreme Court assumes significance as the apex court had earlier said the accused in the 2G scam can seek bail after framing of charges against them which was done on October 22.

Others accused in the case include former telecom minister A Raja, former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura and three telecom firms Reliance Telecom Ltd, Swan Telecom and Unitech (Tamil Nadu) Wireless Ltd.

All the accused have pleaded that they have not done anything wrong and refuted the charge of drawing illegal benefits in allocation of 2G spectrum.