New Delhi: The final arguments in a 2G scam related money laundering case, in which ex-Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and 17 others are facing trial, will commence tomorrow before a special court.
Special CBI judge O P Saini had on April 17 fixed the case for commencement of final arguments tomorrow after concluding the recording of evidence in the case in which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had named 19 accused, including nine firms, in its charge sheet.
ED on April 25 last year had filed the charge sheet against the accused for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The court had on October 31 last year framed charges against the accused saying that Raja, allegedly in connivance with Kanimozhi, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal and other co-accused, was involved in “parking” of illegal gratification of Rs 200 crore in Kalaignar TV.
Raja, Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal, Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and 14 others are facing trial in the case.
The other accused in the case are Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Bollywood producer Karim Morani and P Amirtham. All of them are out on bail.
The court had also framed charges against accused firms STPL, Kalaignar TV, Kusegaon Realty Pvt Ltd (formerly Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd),Cineyug Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd), Dynamix Realty, DB Realty Ltd, Eversmile Construction Company Pvt Ltd, Conwood Constructions and Developers (P) Ltd and Mystical Construction (P) Ltd (earlier called M/s Nihar Constructions (P) Ltd). If convicted of the charges against them, Raja and others will face a maximum sentence of up to seven years.
This is the second case in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in which Raja, Kanimozhi and others are facing trial for their alleged involvement.
In the first case probed by CBI, Raja, Kanimozhi, Shahid Balwa, Goenka, Asif Balwa, Rajiv Agarwal, Morani and Sharad Kumar, besides others, are facing trial for criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, forgery, cheating and other offences punishable under the provisions of IPC and under Prevention of Corruption Act.
ED had alleged in the court that Rs 200 crore transaction was a “illegal gratification” whereas the accused had claimed it as legal and genuine.
