CBI court to record Raja, Kanimozhi statements in 2G money laundering case

A special CBI court in New Delhi is likely to commence on Monday the recording of statements of accused, including former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and 17 others, in a 2G scam-related money laundering case. Special CBI judge O.P. Saini had on March 4 supplied a draft questionnaire containing 400 questions running into 225 pages to the counsel representing the 19 accused and had fixed the matter for Monday. The court had supplied questionnaire observing that it would facilitate recording of statements of the accused with “ease and felicity” as records of the case were technical and voluminous. While giving the questionnaire to the defence counsel, the judge had said that if any query was not understandable to any of the accused or their counsel, they were at liberty to ask for clarifications. [caption id=“attachment_1749473” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Kanimozhi.[/caption] Raja, Kanimozhi, DMK leader M Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal, Swan Telecom (STPL) promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and 14 others, including nine firms are facing trial in the case. The Enforcement Directorate on April 25, 2014 had filed a charge sheet against them for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The other individual accused in the money laundering case are directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal; Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar; Bollywood producer Karim Morani; and P. Amirtham, a director of Kalaignar TV. All of them are out on bail. The court has also framed charges against accused firms STPL, Kusegaon Realty (formerly Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables), Cineyug Media and Entertainment (formerly known as Cineyug Films), Kalaignar TV, Dynamix Realty, DB Realty, Eversmile Construction Company, Conwood Constructions and Developers and Nihar Constructions. The recording of statements of prosecution witnesses in the case had commenced on November 17, 2014 and the ED has examined 25 witnesses in the case. The recorded statements runs into approximately 600 pages. In the money laundering case, the court had on October 31, 2014 framed charges against the 19 accused saying that Raja, allegedly in connivance with Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal and other co-accused, was involved in “parking” of illegal gratification of Rs 200 crore in Kalaignar TV. This is the second case in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in which Raja, Kanimozhi and others are facing trial for their alleged involvement in the scam. In the first case probed by the CBI, Raja, Kanimozhi, Shahid Balwa, Goenka, Asif Balwa, Rajiv Agarwal, Morani and Sharad Kumar along with others, are facing trial for criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, forgery, cheating and other offences punishable under the provisions of IPC and under Prevention of Corruption Act. PTI