JOIN USHigh-profile accused languishing in jail even after charges were framed
Sharath Kumar: Kalaignar TV Managing Director
named in the supplementary chargesheet filed by CBI on April 25. Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy, taking a bribe.
Gautam Doshi:
Managing Director, Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) was among the five corporate executives who were arrested on April 20. He was charged by the CBI with trying to conceal Reliance’s stake in Swan Telecom. Funding for Swan was allegedly organised overnight so that it could serve as a secret extension of Reliance.
Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy.
Kanimozhi:
The DMK Rajya Sabha MP and daughter of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, has been in jail since May 20 for allegedly accepting a ~214-crore bribe.
She has failed to obtain bail in spite of her lawyers arguing that she needs to look after her young son because her husband works abroad. The court, however, allowed her to carry medicines, books and reading glasses. It even allowed her home food, but declined her plea to wear her nose-pin while in jail.
Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy, taking a bribe
Sanjay Chandra:
The then MD of Unitech Wireless has been accused of conspiring with Raja to get licenses and spectrum for mobile networks at throwaway prices. Arrested on April 20, he has been in Tihar jail since.
The CBI believes that he came up with a plan which centred on Raja abruptly advancing the deadlines for applications for licenses by a week. Companies like Unitech allegedly benefited from this and jumped the queue. Chandra quit the Uninor top job after the Telenor Group, which holds a 67.25 per cent ownership share in Unitech Wireless, asked him to step down as the company’s chairman.
Charges: Criminal conspiracy
Sharath Kumar:
Kalaignar TV Managing Director named in the supplementary chargesheet filed by CBI on April 25.
Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy, taking a bribe.
Asif Balwa:
Arrested on Mar 29, he is the brother of Shahid Balwa.
Charges: Cheating, criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, forgery, giving false evidence, offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
R K Chandolia:
Arrested on Feb 2, the 1984-batch Indian Economic Service officer was Raja’s private secretary during UPA-I when the licences were awarded.
Charges: Criminal breach of trust by a public servant.
Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara:
Senior Vice Presidents of Reliance (ADAG), they have been accused of setting up Swan Telecom as a front to acquire more spectrum and licenses for Anil Ambani's Reliance Telecommunications.
Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy.
Siddharth Behura:
Raja’s close aide and former Telecom Secretary, he was arrested on Feb 2. He signed the files leading to the allocation of 122 licences. Behura contended that he had merely implemented a decision taken by minister Raja before he became the DoT Secretary, and so had no choice.
Charges: Conspiracy, cheating and abusing official position.
A Raja:
The former telecom minister was arrested by the CBI on Feb 2 and was taken to Tihar jail on Feb 17. Raja has a separate cell of 15 ft by 10 ft. Apart from watching TV and reading, he plays badminton with the inmates in the evening. Raja seems hooked to snacks from the Tihar canteen, which he shares with inmates, sources say.
Charges: Criminal breach of trust by a public servant.
Vinod Goenka:
Another member of India’s billionaire club, Vinod Goenka, was named along with four other corporate honchos and arrested on April 20. A real-estate developer, he is the director of Swan Telecom and MD of DB Realty.
Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy.
Shahid Balwa:
Last year he was on the Forbes’ list of India’s 100 richest people. His estimated net worth at the time, US $1 billion, got him there. Today, he sleeps on the floor in a 10 by 15 ft cell in Tihar jail. Balwa's DB Realty had floated Swan Telecom (now Etisalat DB) which Raja allegedly favoured in spectrum allocation.
Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy, bribery
Karim Morani:
Of Cineyug Films, he has been accused of facilitating kickback payments to Kalaignar TV and named as a co-conspirator in the 2G scam.
Charges: Cheating, criminal conspiracy, abetment to criminal breach of trust by a public servant.
Rajeev Aggarwal:
Also arrested on March 29 last. He is an official of D B Realty.
Charges: Similar to those of Asif Balwa.