New Delhi : Former telecom minister A. Raja Thursday told a court here that there is no evidence against him in the 2G allocation money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Raja, while advancing his argument on bail, told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge O.P. Saini that the money laundering case filed against him by ED is “a case of no evidence”.
Raja with others including DMK chief M.Karunanidhi’s daughter and party MP Kanimozhi has 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 Swan Telecom, using their group entity Dynamix Realty, to Kalaignar TV, through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt. Ltd. (KFVPL) and CFPL (Cineyug Films) in the garb of legitimate financial transaction, that is as loan/share application money,” the ED has said in its 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.
Kanimozhi and Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal, who is also an accused in the 2G allocations case, were shareholders in KTV, which is allegedly to have been run as DMK’s party channel.
“It is a mere coincidence that I am the member of DMK and DMK plans to start a channel and gets involved in the transaction,” Raja said.
He further added: “It is unhappy coincidence that I belong to that party (DMK).”
“How does prosecution say that I have knowledge of transaction taking place back and forth. How do I know this transaction. How am I actually involved?” Raja sought to know from the investigating agency.
Raja requested the court to grant him bail on the basis of his conduct maintained in a separate 2G allocation case in which he is out on bail.
“I am facing trial in a separate case in 2G spectrum allocation case. I was granted bail in that case and my conduct has been good and I was attending proceedings of the court putting my political commitments at back burner,” he submitted.
Raja also told court that he has been allowed to appear as defence witness in a separate case of 2G allocation and said: “If I will be taken into custody, the whole process of being examined as defence witness will be disrupted.”
Special public prosecutor U.U. Lalit however opposed the bail plea of the accused.
The arguments will be continued Friday.
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, KTV director Sharad Kumar and P. Amirthan have been booked as accused in the case.
Companies named in the case are Swan Telecom Pvt. Ltd., Kusegaon Realty Pvt. Ltd., Cineyug Media and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Kalaignar TV Pvt. Ltd., Dynamix Realty, Eversmile Construction Company Private Limited, Conwood Construction and Developers (P) Ltd., DB Realty Ltd. and Nihar Construction Pvt. Ltd.
The ED has said 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.