A Raja, Kanimozhi, 7 others seek bail afresh in 2G spectrum case

India's former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party chief M Karunanidhi's daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, and seven others accused of money laundering in the 2G spectrum allocation case today sought bail in a Delhi trial court.

Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, who is also accused in the case, sought exemption from personal appearance as she is not in a "fit mental condition"; a plea which Special CBI Judge O P Saini allowed.

Raja, Kanimozhi, Swan telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt. Ltd directors Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Bollywood producer Karim Morani, Kalaignar TV director Sharad Kumar, and P Amirthan appeared before the court in pursuance of summonses issued against them on 2 May.

They moved their bail application before the court of Justice Saini, who has summoned them after taking cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) charge sheet in the case on May 2. The court on Monday directed the ED to provide documents to all accused and fixed May 28 as the next date of hearing.

Companies named in the case are Swan Telecom Pvt. Ltd. (STPL), Kusegaon Realty Pvt Ltd, Cineyug Media and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (Cineyug Films), Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd, Dynamix Realty, Eversmile Construction Co Pvt Ltd, Conwood Construction and Developers (P) Ltd, DB Realty Ltd and Nihar Construction Pvt Ltd.

Authorised representatives of these companies appeared before the court.

The accused have been booked under various sections dealing with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"The investigation revealed that amount of Rs.200 crore was paid by promoters of STPL, using their group entity Dynamix Realty, to KTV, through KFVPL and CFPL (Cineyug Films) in the garb of a legitimate financial transaction, that is as a loan/share application money," the ED has said in the charge sheet.

It said the payment was illegal gratification for and on behalf of Raja and his associates in lieu of illegal favours given to the STPL for grant of UAS licence.

The ED told the court that investigation has revealed that the return of Rs.200 crore has been done along with the additional amount in order to show this illegal payment in the guise of legal and bona fide financial transactions.