Kani gets bail

Heeding the Supreme Court’s order last week granting bail to five corporate honchos accused in the 2G spectrum-allocation scam, the Delhi High Court on Monday granted bail to DMK MP Kanimozhi and four other accused. Justice V K Shali granted bail to Kanimozhi, who has been in jail since May 20, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Bollywood producer Karim Morani and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables directors Rajiv Aggarwal and Asif Balwa, saying the HC was “bound” by the order passed by the Supreme Court and it would not be proper to differentiate among the accused when the pleas of those pending before it were similar to those of the five coaccused, who were granted bail by the SC last week. The court, however, reserved its order on the bail plea of former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, who is in jail along with ex-telecom minister A Raja since February 2, after the CBI refused to concede to him on the ground of parity. Kanimozhi, also shown leniency for being a woman, could not get out of jail on Monday because trial judge OP Saini could not sign the release order owing to the delay in securing the certified copy of the HC order, despite waiting in his chamber till 5.15pm.