CBI sleuths stepped into DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam here and raided the premises of Kalaignar TV through Thursday night, albeit quietly, in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam. According to sources, seven to eight officials of the CBI’s anti-corruption branch came from New Delhi, entered the Kalaignar TV office
around 12.30 am and continued the search till 5 am. The team also questioned its managing director, Mr Sharad Kumar, regarding the transfer of `214 crores to Kalaignar TV from Cineyug, a subsidiary of Swan Telecom, a beneficiary in the multi-crore 2G spectrum allocation scandal. After searching for documents on fund transfers, the CBI team left for New Delhi. The CBI has not issued any communiqué so far on the raid. As promoters, CM M. Karunanidhi’s wife, Dayalu Ammal, has a 60 per cent stake while daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi holds 20 per cent in the channel, which is the propaganda arm of the ruling party.
Ms Kanimozhi said she was not aware of the raids. “I have not received anything of that kind as of yet,” she said in response to a query on whether she had received a summons from the CBI. The raids came after the channel said the CBI was welcome to check its books, which it claimed were clean, and that the I-T department had been informed of the Cineyug transaction.