2G: 'Hard target' Kanimozhi points finger at Raja

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Contending that she had no 'wrong intentions', DMK MP Kanimozhi, named co-conspirator in the second generation (2G) telecom spectrum case, on Friday applied for bail before a special CBI court. Special CBI judge O.P. Saini said the case will be taken up on Saturday.

Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar also appeared before the special CBI court in Patiala House.

Kanimozhi, who is also Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's daughter, was wearing a green suit and accompanied by several MPs of her DMK party. She went up to special judge O.P. Saini, greeted him and then sat down in one of the chairs in the courtroom.

Her lawyer Ram Jethmalani argued that she had not signed any documents nor attended any board meetings of Kalaignar TV. He asserted that the DMK leader was just a shareholder and had nothing to do with the transfer of money in the company - adding that A. Raja was behind everything - Raja was present in the courtroom.

"My misfortune is that I am the daughter of Karunanidhi and MP. I have 20 percent share in Kalaignar TV. Show me one overt act of mine which relates to the offence," Jethmalani said, arguing on behalf of the Rajya Sabha member.

"The overt act committed by the company can't be attributed to a person who is a mere shareholder and did not take part in any decision which indicates about her complicity in the case."

"I have not absconded nor interfered with the evidence. I was just summoned and I obeyed court orders. I have no wrong intention and bail is my right. It should be granted," Jethmalani said.

While Jethmalani made the arguments in the packed courtroom, Kanimozhi remained composed and calm.

All the 14 named in the first and supplementary chargesheets of the CBI in the 2G scam were supposed to appear before the court on Friday, but Karim Morani of Cineyug Films got an exemption as he is admitted in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. His bail application will be heard May 10.

Meanwhile, Kanimozhi told a TV Channel yesterday that she is prepared for 'the worst'.

"If that is what the legal system wants... we have to face everything legally... we cannot run away. We have to respect the court... we have to face it... I can't keep running away... We have to face whatever the courts decide and I don't want to speculate... let's wait and see what happens tomorrow," said Kanimozhi, who is a former a journalist too.

She also added that the CBI will find it hard to get her. The 43-year-old said nobody should think she is an 'easy target' and asserted that she will fight the case legally.

Others chargesheeted by the CBI - Raja's personal aide R.K. Chandolia, former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura and Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa - were also in court.

Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal was listed as a witness.

Kanimozhi was named co-conspirator along with Sharad Kumar, Morani, and Asif Balwa and Rajiv B. Agarwal of Kusegaon Realty in a supplementary chargesheet. The probe agency says she has a 20 per cent stake in the TV venture.

Asif Balwa and Agarwal were also present in court.

Vinod Goenka of Swan Telecom, Sanjay Chandra of Unitech and three officials of Reliance ADAG: Gautam Doshi, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara are also accused in the case.

Raja, Chandolia, Behura, Shahid Balwa, Asif Balwa, Agarwal, Goenka, Chandra, Doshi, Nair and Pipara are in judicial custody.

The case relates to alleged irregularities in the allocation of airwaves to telecom operators that caused huge losses to the national exchequer.