Shahid Balwa gets bail

"The bail application is allowed," said special CBI Judge OP Saini, granting bail to Balwa.u00a0Balwa is facing trial in the 2G case for allegedly procuring spectrum licence for his ineligible firm under a criminal conspiracy with former Telecom Minister A Raja and other government officials and by paying a bribe of Rs 200 crore to DMK-run Kalaignar TV, showing the transaction as an inter-corporate loan.

Earlier in the day, CBI had told the special judge that it would not oppose Balwa's bail plea keeping in view the Supreme Court and High Court orders on bail to other co-accused in the case.

"As an officer of this court, considering the umbrella charges with individual charges framed against the accused, we are not opposing the bail plea at this juncture in view of the Supreme Court and High Court orders," Special Public Prosecutor UU Lalit had submitted.

Lalit said the charges framed against Balwa are similar to those against co-accused and Swan Telecom director Vinod Goenka, who has been granted bail by Supreme Court.u00a0

DMK MP Kanimozhi and five others accused in the 2G spectrum scam were on Tuesday evening released from Tihar jail, where they were lodged for over six months.u00a0A court on Tuesday issued a warrant for release of 6 accused in 2G spectrum allocation scam, including Kanimozhi.u00a0Besides her, those for whom the release warrant was issued are Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, Bollywood filmmaker Karim Morani and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd directors Rajiv Aggarwal and Asif Balwa. All of them are lodged in Tihar jail.u00a0Although Kanimozhi, Kumar, Morani, Asif and Rajiv were granted bail by the Delhi high court on Monday, they could furnish their bail bond before Special CBI Judge O P Saini only on Tuesday.