DMK family takes a hit, Kanimozhi charged and summoned

The CBI on Monday chargesheeted Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi’s daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi and four others in the 2G spectrum scam case, accusing her of hatching a criminal conspiracy with prime accused A Raja. Sumit Saxena reports. Graphics: Beaming controversy | Undone by Raja's ex-aide

The CBI on Monday chargesheeted Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi’s daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi and four others in the 2G spectrum scam case, accusing her of hatching a criminal conspiracy with prime accused former telecom minister A Raja.

In its first supplementary chargesheet filed in the court of special judge OP Saini, the CBI described her as an “active brain” behind the operations of the DMK family-owned Kalaignar TV channel.

The channel has been accused of having received a kickback of Rs 200 crore by a Shahid Balwa-promoted firm after Swan Telecom was favoured by Raja for a 2G licence to operate in Delhi.

But contrary to speculation, Kanimozhi’s stepmother, Dayalu Ammal, who holds 60% stake in Kalaignar TV, was not named as an accused. She has been listed as one of the 28 witnesses in the supplementary chargesheet.

"The investigation has disclosed that there are a number of circumstances... which together conclusively establish that the amount of Rs 200 crore paid by Dynamix Realty to Kalaignar TV through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables and Cineyug Films was not a genuine business transaction but in the nature of illegal gratification paid in lieu of the UAS licences, valuable spectrum and other undue benefits given by accused public servants to Swan Telecom,” the chargesheet said.

Kanimozhi, 43, refused to comment on her being named in the chargesheet but Raja's lawyer Ramesh Gupta objected to the filing of the second chargesheet in which fresh names of persons have been mentioned as accused.

"Once the court has taken cognisance of the offence, no further chargesheet can be filed at this stage against additional accused,” Gupta said.

Others named in the chargesheet are Kalaignar TV managing director Sharad Kumar, Cineyug Media and Entertainment director Karim Morani, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa's cousin Asif Balwa and Rajeev Agarwal, who are directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables.