Tapes nail Kani-Raja link

DMK's Rajya Sabha member K Kanimozhi, chargesheeted by the CBI in the 2G spectrum case on Monday, had allegedly lobbied to get co-accused and former telecom minister A Raja the portfolio after the April-May 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

DMK's Rajya Sabha member K Kanimozhi, chargesheeted by the CBI in the 2G spectrum case on Monday, had allegedly lobbied to get co-accused and former telecom minister A Raja the portfolio after the April-May 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

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According to CBI's spokesperson Dharini Mishra, Kanimozhi's taped conversations with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia after the Lok Sabha elections show that Kanimozhi wanted Raja to get the telecom portfolio, again. Mishra said, "Kanimozhi had actively pursued with the intermediaries and DMK headquarters the mater relating to reappointment of accused A Raja as minister of communications & information technology in 2009."

CBI's supplementary chargesheet, submitted in a special court on Tuesday said, "It clearly established the strong association of Kanimozhi and accused A Raja in the official/ political matters."

The chargesheet added that Kanimozhi who held 20% equity of Kalaignar TV Private Limited — that allegedly received a kickback of around R200 crore from a scam beneficiary Swan Telecom Private Limited through two of the latter's associate companies for favours shown to it by Raja in the awarding of telecom licences and spectrum in 2007/08 — was "an active bran behind its (Kalaignar TV) operations.

Case witness Radia had in her statement given to the CBI claimed that though she had a telephonic conversation with Kanimozhi — at a time the latter was in Delhi with her father M Karunanidhi — it was not to "get Raja the ministry of telecom." She said, "As I remember Raja was not interested in telecom ministry."

According to Radia, she only discussed the likely DMK candidates for a place in the cabinet. Besides, Radia said in her opinion, she "was not competent for that big a task."