An attorney for insider-trading defendant Rajat Gupta said it is "highly likely" that the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc board member will testify in his own defence at trial, the judge said on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan announced Gupta's possible testimony after the jury went home for the day.

Gupta is on trial on charges of securities fraud and conspiracy for allegedly leaking stock tips to Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam. Gupta, 63, has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution rested its side of the case earlier on Friday.

(Reporting By Grant McCool; Writing by Martha Graybow; Editing by Gary Hill)