2G Scam: Subramanian Swamy hopes for A. Raja's conviction by year-end

New Delhi, May 10 (ANI): Janata Party president and the main petitioner in the 2G scam Subramanian Swamy has said he is hoping that former telecom minister A. Raja is convicted by the end of the year.

Stating that there was nothing wrong in Raja getting bail, Swamy said: "It has been our law always that bail is the rule and jail is the exception, and once the satisfaction is there of the court that Raja being let out on bail cannot alter the course of the trial in any way, or bring the witnesses into some of kind of fear, and on that basis, the court will give the bail."

"They have been giving bail to others on this basis. So, I do not think that there is anything wrong on his getting bail now but I do think that the trial will go on and by the end of this year Raja would be convicted and that is the time when he properly belongs in jail," he added.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Balbir Punj said the courts would take a decision according to the law

"Like any other accused, even A Raja is entitled to all the legal remedies and, if he applies for bail, it is for the courts to take the decision and, I am sure the courts will take the decision as per the law," he added.

Seeking bail, Raja on Wednesday said he was ready to abide by any condition imposed upon him and would not misuse the liberty being given to him.

"It is most respectfully submitted that the petitioner be directed to be released on bail till the final disposal of the case," his application said.

Former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura and A Raja's erstwhile personal secretary R.K. Chandolia was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The 2G scam involved government officials, who illegally undercharged mobile telephony companies for frequency allocation licenses, which they would use to create 2G subscriptions for cell phones.

The shortfall between the money collected and the money which the law mandated to be collected is estimated to be Rupees 176,645 crore (35.24 billion dollars) as valued by Comptroller and Auditor General of India based on 3G and BWA spectrum auction prices which held in 2010. However the exact loss is disputed.

In a charge sheet filed on April 2, 2011 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the agency pegged the loss at Rupees 30,984.55 crore (6.18 billion dollars), whereas the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India claims that the government actually gained Rupees 3,000 crore (598.5 million dollars) by selling the spectrum. (ANI)