ED to slap money laundering charges on Kanimozhi?

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to charge DMK MP Kanimozhi for money laundering in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

According to media reports on Tuesday, the ED will indict Kanimozhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday chargesheeted Kanimozhi and four others in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

The CBI named Kanimozhi as co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in its second chargesheet filed before Special judge O P Saini.

Kanimozhi has been charged with section 7 and 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The investigating agency also chargesheeted Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa’s cousin Asif Balwa, Rajeev Agarwal — Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, and Karim Murani of Cineyug Films (Pvt) Ltd.

The CBI also named former telecom minister A Raja in its supplementary chargesheet for taking bribe.

However, there is no mention of Kanimozhi?s step-mother and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi?s wife Dayalu Ammal in the chargesheet.

According to CBI sources, Ammal?s name was removed from the chargesheet followed by political pressure.

The supplementary chargesheet comes after the federal agency filed the first one earlier this month against former telecoms minister Andimuthu Raja and his aides over allegedly distributing mobile spectrum and licenses at throwaway rates.

In a swindle that could have cost the national exchequer upto Rs 1.76 lakh crore, A Raja purportedly gave away the airwaves arbitrarily in return of kickbacks, supposedly channeled through his party run TV network Kalaignar TV.

Karunanidhi’s second wife Dayalu Ammal holds a 60 percent stake in Kalaignar TV while Kanimozhi owns 20 percent.

The CBI probed transfer of Rs 214 crore from Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa?s DB Realty firm to the television channel.

The investigating agency enquired if these funds were in any manner connected with allocation of 2G Spectrum at undervalued price.

Kalaignar TV?s managing director Sharat Kumar was also questioned by the CBI in the case.

Balwa has already been arrested, along with former telecom minister and DMK MP A Raja, in the scam.

The CBI also reportedly enclosed details of the ?illegal? money transfers by Raja, his slain aide Sadiq Batcha and Shahid Usman Balwa, the former Managing Director of DB Realty to DMK-owned Kalaignar TV.

“Investigations have also revealed that in furtherance of the conspiracy, Dynamix Realty, a partnership firm of DB Realty Ltd and other DB group companies, paid Rs 200 crore to Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd during December 2008 to August 2009, following a circuitous route through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd and Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd (DB group holds 49 per cent equity in it),” CBI had said in its first charge sheet filed on April 2.

The CBI named Behura, Raja’s former PS R K Chandolia, Unitech MD Sanjay Chandra, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Reliance ADA group’s Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair, Reliance Telecom, Unitech Wireless and Swan Telecom in its 8000-page first set of charge-sheet.