ED files charge sheet against Raja, Kanimozhi in 2G scam

PTI New Delhi Bureau
     
New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI) Former Telecom Minister A Raja,
DMK MP Kanimozhi and 17 others were today chargesheeted in a
special court by the Enforcement Directorate in connection
with a money laundering case relating to the 2G spectrum
allocation scam.
        ED in its charge sheet also named DMK Supremo M
Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL)
promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka as accused in
the case in which it alleged that Rs 200 crore was paid by
STPL promoters to DMK-run Kalaignar TV.
        The final report names 10 individuals and nine companies
as accused in the case and the ED has chargesheeted them for
the offence of money laundering under the provisions of
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
        Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, Asif
Balwa and Rajiv Aggarwal, Bollywood producer Karim Morani and
Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar have also been
named as accused in the case.
        Raja, Kanimozhi, Shahid Balwa, Vinod Goenka, Asif Balwa,
Rajiv Aggarwal, Karim Morani and Sharad Kumar are also facing
trial in the 2G scam case in which CBI had earlier filed
charge sheets.
        The ED's charge sheet was filed before Special CBI Judge O
P Saini by Special Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta who
said that the agency has investigated the "flow of funds" and
they have found that money was laundered by these accused
persons.
        The judge fixed the charge sheet for consideration on
cognizance for April 30.
        ED claimed to have found evidence with regard to the
channelling of Rs 200 crore to Kalaignar TV through a
circuitous route.
        Dayalu Ammal was holding 60 per cent stake in Kalaignar TV
while Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar each were holding 20 per cent
stake.
        Raja and Kanimozhi were earlier questioned by the agency
in the case.
        The ED had earlier also scrutinised documents related to
both the DMK MPs incomes, properties and personal investments.
        It had also initiated attachment proceedings under PMLA
against other individuals and certain telecom firms involved
in the case.