Author: IANS
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: May 7, 2011
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/337004/CBI-dissects-Kanimozhi-defense-bail-decision-on-May-14.html
Kanimozhi was "definitely close"
to former communications minister A. Raja, the CBI Saturday told the special
court which reserved for a week its decision on the bail plea of the DMK MP,
named a co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum allocation case.
Initiating the arguments, special public prosecutor
U.U. Lalit said: "Sharad Kumar (managing director of Kalaignar TV) and
Kanimozhi hold 20 percent shares separately in Kalaignar TV. Other 60 percent
is held by Dayalu Ammal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's wife.
It is impossible to believe that Sharad is the operating mind behind Kalaignar
TV, when Kanimozhi and Ammal, belonging to the same family, hold 80 percent
of the total shares in the channel."
"Kanimozhi was not made the director
of Kalaignar TV because she did not get a clearance from the ministry of home
affairs as a Member of Parliament. But, she was an active brain behind all
the channel operations, including the money transfers in the allocation of
2G spectrum," Lalit contended.
"Raja was definitely close to Kanimozhi,
and not Sharad Kumar, because of which the money flowed into Kalaignar TV,"
the prosecutor argued as the case was being heard by special judge O.P. Saini.
Meanwhile, the court also reserved its order
on the bail plea of Sharad Kumar till May 14. Both Kanimozhi and Kumar will
have to mark their attendance at the court till the next hearing.
Accusing Sharad Kumar of being involved in
the money transfers, the CBI prosecutor added: "Each and every document
including the cheques, affidavit, and contract were signed by Sharad Kumar.
He attended all the board meetings and had the power to take decisions. In
such a case, there is no doubt that Sharad and Kanimozhi were involved in
the entire transaction."
Senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani, arguing for
Kanimozhi, had Friday denied Kanimozhi's association with Raja, who is in
jail for his alleged role in the case.
"Even if we assume that Raja got transferred
the Rs.200 crore bribe money from Dynamix Group to Kalaignar TV, no guilt
is proved against me as I did not sign any document on behalf of the recipient
TV channel," Jethmalani argued for Kanimozhi.
The case involves award of telecom spectrum
to private players, which the investigative agency says was done in a fraudulent
manner, causing losses worth billions of rupees to the exchequer.
The case took a serious turn after Raja, a
leader of the DMK, resigned Nov 14 as communications minister. This was after
the official auditor held that his policy on spectrum allocation had led to
a loss of several billion rupees to the exchequer.
