Kanimozhi, Raja return to Tihar jail
Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi and former Telecom Minister A Raja returned to Tihar Central Jail on Saturday afternoon after appearing before a special Delhi court in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
Kanimozhi’s mother Rajathi Ammal and DMK leader T R Baalu were present in the court.
Kanimozhi was on Friday arrested after the court rejected her bail plea in the 2G scam case, paving the way for her imprisonment in the Tihar jail.
The bail plea of Sharad Kumar, the managing director of Kanimozhi’s family-run Kalaignar TV, was also rejected.
Kanimozhi is a stake holder in the Kalaignar TV, which is allegedly one of the beneficiaries of the 2G scam money. She has been chargesheeted as the controlling mind behind the TV company by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Justice OP Saini said bail was dismissed “due to the magnitude of the crime and the nature and enormity of the allegations” which forced him not to show any consideration to her despite she being a woman with a very dignified conduct in the court.
The judge said the “bail applications are without merit and hence dismissed.”
The court in its 144-page order arguing against a bail held that since most of the witnesses against Kanimozhi are the employees of Kalaignar TV there is a possibility of their being influenced.
She is presently lodged in the Tihar Jail where her party colleague A Raja is already languishing.
The court on May 14 had deferred the bail hearing of the daughter of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi till May 20.
The CBI has chargesheeted Kanimozhi as a co-conspirator in the scam and for allegedly accepting a Rs 214 crore bribe in the 2G spectrum allocation scandal that saw her party colleague and former Telecom Minister going to Tihar jail.
The DMK lost heavily the elections in Tamil Nadu this month.
The CBI has opposed Kanimozhi’s bail holding that she was the ?active brain? behind the tainted TV company.
CBI prosecutor UU Lalit told Special CBI judge OP Saini that she was well-aware of the money laundering by Kalaignar TV run by her family.
Kanimozhi has been named by CBI as co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in its second chargesheet filed before Special judge O P Saini.
But, eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani had appeared for the daughter of M Karunanidhi and argued for her bail, playing the ?woman? card.
Jethmalani said: ?She (Kanimozhi) is a law abiding citizen, an MP and a woman. Section 437 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) says women, old people, children should normally be granted bail.”
Kanimozhi has been charged with section 7 and 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. .
Kanimozhi also has to face the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for money laundering allegations.
The ED has indicted Kanimozhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).