This Article is From Sep 30, 2011

2G scam: Will Unitech's Sanjay Chandra get interim bail?

2G scam: Will Unitech's Sanjay Chandra get interim bail?
New Delhi: Unitech's Managing Director Sanjay Chandra's interim bail plea will be heard in the Supreme Court today. Mr Chandra is currently in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the 2G spectrum scam.

An apex court bench of Justice GS Singhvi and Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya will take up the matter for hearing at 2 pm today. Mr Chandra moved Supreme Court yesterday, seeking an interim bail for 12 days to join his family for festival season.

Mr Chandra, lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi since his arrest on April 20, has pleaded in court that in view of the delay in framing of charges against him by a trial court, he should be granted interim bail till October 12 to take part in religious ceremonies with his family.

Appearing for Mr Chandra, senior advocate Ram Jethmalani pleaded before a bench headed by Justice GS Singhvi yesterday to hear the matter urgently. The bench agreed to hear his plea at 2 PM today.

The CBI, in its chargesheet, has alleged that Chandra and his firm were among the beneficiaries of the 2G scam. The CBI has said his firm was given 2G spectrum licence by former Telecom Minister A Raja despite its ineligibility and that his company was tipped-off about the pre-poning of cut-off dates for applying for 2G licence.

The investigating agency has also alleged that after getting the licences, Unitech and co-accused Swan Telecom had sold their equity to foreign companies much before beginning the roll out of their services, thereby making huge profits.

Mr Chandra has already moved the apex court for regular bail refuting CBI allegations against him. The regular bail plea is still pending with the court.

In his plea, he has contended that all the decisions regarding the cut-off date and first-come-first-served policy for spectrum allocation was taken by Mr Raja and DoT officials and he cannot be charged with the offence of conspiracy. (With PTI Inputs)
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