Kanimozhi bail hearing delayed for two days

New Delhi: Lawmaker Kanimozhi may have to spend another two nights at Delhi's Tihar Jail as arguments on her bail plea and those of five others remained inconclusive yesterday.

Justice V.K. Shali of the Delhi High Court made this announcement after a day-long hearing. "We will hear the arguments on Monday," Justice Shali said.

Kanimozhi, daughter of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi, has been in prison since May 20. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has charged her as a co-accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case.

In all the CBI had arrested 14 persons in the case including former telecom minister A. Raja. Five corporate executives were granted bail by the Supreme Court on Wednesday prompting Kanimozhi and five others — Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar, Cineyug Films' Karim Morani, Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd directors Asif Balwa, Rajiv B. Agarwal and former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura — to move the High Court with the request of advance hearing on their bail pleas, which was accepted on Thursday.

However, hopes of Kanimozhi and others received a minor setback when Justice Shali said he will not be guided solely by the Supreme Court order granting bails to five corporate executives.

This is Kanimozhi's fifth attempt to get the bail. So far her bail applications have been rejected twice by the trial court and once each by the High Court and the Supreme Court. Her plea of leniency on grounds of being a woman as also rejected.