‘Rs 380 cr equity to Swan routed in planned manner’

The three companies targeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its first batch of complaints in the 2G case — Genex Exim, ETA Star Infrastructure Private Limited and Swan Telecom — had accounts in the same bank branch in Mumbai, which corroborates evidence that the R380 crore equity was routed to Swan Telecom in a pre-planned manner, sources disclosed to HT on Saturday. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

The three companies targeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its first batch of complaints in the 2G case — Genex Exim, ETA Star Infrastructure Private Limited and Swan Telecom — had accounts in the same bank branch in Mumbai, which corroborates evidence that the Rs 380 crore equity was routed to Swan Telecom in a pre-planned manner, sources disclosed to HT on Saturday.

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The ED, trying to track the source of funds in companies based abroad, has found that R380 crore originated from Al Waha Investments Limited in Dubai to ETA Star Infrastructure Private Limited. The ETA Star promoters are considered close to the first family of the DMK. From ETA Star, the money was routed to Genex Exim and then it landed with Swan Telecom.

Apart from these companies, the ED has also accused two Chennai-based firms — Wellcom Communications India Private Limited and Wellcom Communications Private Limited.

Former telecom minister A Raja’s aide T Silvaraju is director of both companies along with Malaysian entrepreneur Vijay Ratnavelu. Silvaraju was raided by the CBI also. Investigators suspect that Raja might have used Wellcom Communications to park his ill-gotten money in off-shore accounts.

Witness security

The home ministry has asked police commissioners of Delhi and Mumbai to provide security to seven people, who had recorded their confessional statements before a magistrate and are considered star witnesses in the CBI case.

The instruction came on a request by CBI in the backdrop of reports that the underworld might target the witnesses and the death of two people linked to Raja — his nephew Deepak Pushpanathan (30) and associate Sadhick Batcha (30).