Give Raja, Kanimozhi bail: Jaswant Singh

NEW DELHI, INDIA: DMK MPs Kanimozhi and A. Raja as well as others accused in the 2G spectrum scam should be given bail, says senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh.

"Why should they be? In what fashion are they interfering?" Jaswant Singh asked in an interview with CNN-IBN. The controversial stance came after he was asked whether the main accused, including Kanimozhi and former telecommunications minister Raja and former bureaucrats in the communications ministry, should not be behind bars.

"I feel that if somebody has been charged and that charge is not of heinous nature like robbery, murder or any such thing... when trial is on, then that somebody should not be kept in prison because you can't permanently deny bail."

"Bail by itself is a citizen's right unless he is charged with such a crime that it must not be permitted," Jaswant Singh said.

These, he said, were his personal views. However, he added that he did not think the BJP was for keeping the accused permanently in jail

"I'm speaking as an individual. I'm not speaking for the party. I don't think the BJP has said 'keep them permanently in jail'."