Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s daughter and DMK MP Kanimozhi today appeared before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in connection with 2G spectrum allotment scandal in which she has been named co-accused.
Kanimozhi appeared along with Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar, another accused, in the case. Soon after the court proceedings began, Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani filed a bail plea on behalf of the DMK MP on grounds of being a woman and contending that she “has no role, whatsoever, in the scam”, according to Hindu.
The CBI on April 25 had filed a chargesheet against Kanimozhi and four others in the 2G spectrum allocation scam. Kanimozhi has been accused of accepting Rs. 214 crore bribe in collusion with former Telecom minister A Raja, now in jail in the 2G scam.
The CBI in its chargesheet states, "The refund of the entire amount has occurred after the registration of the CBI case. Infact the date when the refund of the amount started, December 23, 2010, coincides with the date when accused A Raja was asked to join investigation at the CBI office on December 24 and December 25. A major chunk of funds was refunded after December 25, 2010. Investigation has established that pursuant to the criminal conspiracy, accused Raja, Sharad Kumar, Kanimozhi, stakeholders of Kalaignar TV, accepted and received an illegal gratification of Rs. 200 crore in Kalaignar TV from accused Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka from the accounts of DB Group Companies in 2008-09, as a reward in lieu of the undue favours shown by Raja”.
NDTV reports that Kanimozhi is part owner of a TV channel that allegedly became the landing strip for a 214-crore bribe being paid by a telecom company to Raja in return for a mobile network license and spectrum. She has argued that she was not an active participant in the company. The CBI has refused this explanation in its chargesheet.
Ram Jethmalani argued DMK leader was just a shareholder and had nothing to do with the transfer of money in the company. "My misfortune is that I am the daughter of Karunanidhi and MP. I have 20 percent share in Kalaignar TV. Show me one overt act of mine which relates to the offence," Jethmalani said, arguing on behalf of the Rajya Sabha member. "The overt act committed by the company can't be attributed to a person who is a mere shareholder and did not take part in any decision which indicates about her complicity in the case”. "I have not absconded nor interfered with the evidence. I was just summoned and I obeyed court orders. I have no wrong intention and bail is my right. It should be granted," Jethmalani said, according to ET.
All the 14 named in the first and supplementary chargesheets of the CBI in the 2G scam were supposed to appear before the court today, but Karim Morani of Cineyug Films got an exemption as he is admitted in Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital. His bail application will be heard on May 10.
Kanimozhi appeared along with Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar, another accused, in the case. Soon after the court proceedings began, Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani filed a bail plea on behalf of the DMK MP on grounds of being a woman and contending that she “has no role, whatsoever, in the scam”, according to Hindu.
The CBI on April 25 had filed a chargesheet against Kanimozhi and four others in the 2G spectrum allocation scam. Kanimozhi has been accused of accepting Rs. 214 crore bribe in collusion with former Telecom minister A Raja, now in jail in the 2G scam.
The CBI in its chargesheet states, "The refund of the entire amount has occurred after the registration of the CBI case. Infact the date when the refund of the amount started, December 23, 2010, coincides with the date when accused A Raja was asked to join investigation at the CBI office on December 24 and December 25. A major chunk of funds was refunded after December 25, 2010. Investigation has established that pursuant to the criminal conspiracy, accused Raja, Sharad Kumar, Kanimozhi, stakeholders of Kalaignar TV, accepted and received an illegal gratification of Rs. 200 crore in Kalaignar TV from accused Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka from the accounts of DB Group Companies in 2008-09, as a reward in lieu of the undue favours shown by Raja”.
NDTV reports that Kanimozhi is part owner of a TV channel that allegedly became the landing strip for a 214-crore bribe being paid by a telecom company to Raja in return for a mobile network license and spectrum. She has argued that she was not an active participant in the company. The CBI has refused this explanation in its chargesheet.
Ram Jethmalani argued DMK leader was just a shareholder and had nothing to do with the transfer of money in the company. "My misfortune is that I am the daughter of Karunanidhi and MP. I have 20 percent share in Kalaignar TV. Show me one overt act of mine which relates to the offence," Jethmalani said, arguing on behalf of the Rajya Sabha member. "The overt act committed by the company can't be attributed to a person who is a mere shareholder and did not take part in any decision which indicates about her complicity in the case”. "I have not absconded nor interfered with the evidence. I was just summoned and I obeyed court orders. I have no wrong intention and bail is my right. It should be granted," Jethmalani said, according to ET.
All the 14 named in the first and supplementary chargesheets of the CBI in the 2G scam were supposed to appear before the court today, but Karim Morani of Cineyug Films got an exemption as he is admitted in Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital. His bail application will be heard on May 10.
