2G: Kanimozhi, others may get bail today

Hopes of getting bail looked bright for DMK MP Kanimozhi and some others accused in the 2G spectrum case, as the Delhi High Court advanced the date of hearing of the bail to today, rather than next week as scheduled earlier.

The hearing comes a day after the Supreme Court granted bail to five executives, including those from Reliance ADAG and Unitech managing director Sanjay Chandra, prompting the remaining accused to seek an early hearing of their bail pleas.

The Supreme Court while granting bail had pulled up the lower courts, including the special CBI court headed by Justice O P Saini, for prolonging the incarceration of the accused. Noting that refusal of bail cannot be used for punitive purposes, it had said, ''It is not in the interest of justice that the accused should remain in jail for an indefinite period.''

Apart from Kanimozhi, the accused whose bail pleas are likely to be heard on Friday are former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, filmmaker Karim Morani, Kaliagnar TV managing director Sharad Kumar and directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajeev Agarwal.

''All the bail applications would be heard tomorrow (Friday) at 10.30am,'' Justice V K Shali said in his order on Thursday. Earlier, the court had fixed 1 December for hearing.

Former telecom minister A Raja is yet to move the court for bail. ''Let the court decide on the bail pleas of Kanimozhi and others. Then I will consider moving a bail application,'' Raja told reporters at the trial court.