[ by Melanie Gretchen ] A Galleon Group player who served as a witness for the prosecution escaped jail time on Thursday.  Anil Kumar, 53, was a former McKinsey & Co. partner whose testimony helped convict Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam and former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta of insider trading.  For his assistance, he was sentenced to 2 years of probation.  [CI Note: Talk about a Get Out of Jail Free card.] Mr. Kumar was arrested on the same day in 2009 as Rajaratnam, his friend of 25 years, who is currently serving an 11-year prison term after his conviction last year.  Mr. Kumar's mentor, Mr. Gupta, who was convicted in June, is looking at up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced this fall.  What separates these men is Mr. Kumar pled guilty in January 2010 to 1 count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and 1 count of securities fraud for giving Rajaratnam secret tips – and the crucial role he provided in helping the government  improve its cases, and convict Rajaratnam and Gupta, "two of the most important securities fraud trials in history, according to prosecutors. Mr. Kumar pled guilty in January 2010 to 1 count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and 1 count of securities fraud for giving Rajaratnam insider tips.  Judge Denny Chin described Mr. Kumar's leaking stock tips to the Galleon founder as "quintessentially dishonest criminal conduct, " yet said his assistance to the government, charity and contrition warranted a break from prison – though Mr. Kumar will still have to forfeit $2.26 million

"I do not believe that the ends of justice would be served by even a modest term of imprisonment." -- Judge Chin, who sentenced Bernie Madoff to 150 years in prison in 2009.

On Thursday's hearing, wearing a gray suit, Kumar told the judge that cooperating had been his path toward atonement:

"This public path has brought extreme disgrace yet it has been essential to my redemption.  I stand in this courtroom today completely and totally shamed by the conduct that has brought me before your honor."

For the government: Reed Brodsky, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. For Kumar: Gregory Morvillo at Morvillo. The case: USA v. Anil Kumar, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 10-cr-00013. For further details, go to:   [Reuters, 7/19/12].