Call it a coincidence or synchronicity, former communications minister A. Raja, who is the prime accused in the 2G scam case, completed his one year in jail on Thurday when Supreme Court handed out its crucial verdicts on the largest ever corruption scandal to have surfaced in India.
Mr Raja, who was the first one to be arrested in the case on February 2, 2011, is still incarcerated along with former communications secretary Siddharth Behura while all the other accused are out of jail on bail. Mr Raja has not moved even once for release on bail.
Talking to the reporter during an informal chat, he said, “Why should I apply for bail? I am not looking for a temporary respite. I am aiming at acquittal.” Months passed since then, with days when Mr Raja hinted that he might apply for bail, but he stopped after Behura’s bail was dismissed by the Delhi high court. Initially quite chirpy and confident, Mr Raja has become quite and subdued. He rarely talks in the court except with the defence counsels, the accused and the DMK workers who come regularly to meet him.