A Special Court on Monday postponed the hearing on the bail applications of five accused in the 2G spectrum case till it delivers its order on framing of charges.
The arguments on the bail plea of Mr Rajiv Agarwal and Mr Asif Balwa, the directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables and Mr Karim Morani, the director of Cineyug Films has been deferred to October 17, while that of Mr R.K. Chandolia, the former private secretary of the then Telecom Minister Mr A. Raja and Mr Shahid Usman Balwa, the promoter of Swan Telecom has been postponed to October 18.
The Special CBI Judge Mr O.P. Saini said that he wanted to pronounce the order on framing of charges against the accused by October 15. The judge said that, therefore, if he starts hearing arguments on the bail application at this stage, he would not have time to go through the voluminous documents regarding the charges and give the order on framing of charges by October 15.
The Court had, on October 1, deferred to October 17 the arguments on the bail plea of DMK MP Ms Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV Managing Director, Mr Sharad Kumar. Both are accused in the 2G case.
Ms Kanimozhi's and Mr Kumar's lawyers told the Special Court that they are bound to obey the apex court order, which, while rejecting their bail applications in June, had directed that such a plea could be considered only after framing of charges in the case.
The lawyers for the five accused had said the bail plea of their clients should be heard on October 3 as the apex court order was only on the bail plea of Ms Kanimozhi and Mr Kumar and not of their clients. The counsel for Mr Morani also wanted an early hearing and cited Mr Morani's ill-health.
The CBI had opposed the bail applications of the accused saying that according to the apex court order, their bail pleas could be considered only after the framing of charges.
The accused are lodged in Tihar jail.