The special court hearing the 2G scam case has rejected former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura’s bail plea.
Behura joins the long list of bail applicants who have had to return empty handed from the various courts in the 2G scam case.
Behura had defended himself pointing out that he was merely an official and could not disobey the minister. However, the CBI countered this by saying: “As per the service conduct rules, he was not obliged to follow the illegal orders of the minister.”
Five corporate honchos and a film financier, Kareem Morani are the others whose bail pleas have been turned down.
DMK leader Kanimozhi too faced the same treatment at the hands of the CBI court of judge OP Saini earlier. All of them appealed or are in the process of appealing the orders, but are yet to get bail from the Delhi High Court either.
The Courts have rejected the bail applications pointing to the seriousness of the alleged crime and the powerful nature of the arrested persons.
Behura, who was the most powerful official in the Department of Telecom under Raja, is accused of colluding with Raja to carry out the alleged Rs 50,000 crore 2G scam by rigging the selection of license awardees in 2007-08.
Special Courts rank just below the High Court in status, alongside Sessions Courts and are known as the ‘trial courts’ since major trials are held in them. Their judgments can be challenged in the High Court and the Supreme Court, called appeal courts.
