2G money laundering case: Bail order on Aug 20

A special court hearing money laundering charges in the 2G spectrum allocation case against former telecom minister A. Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and others Wednesday fixed Aug 20 to deliver order on the bail plea of the accused.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge O.P. Saini deferred its order on the bail pleas and said the order is "not ready".

Raja, Kanimozhi, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt. Ltd. (KFVPL) directors Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Bollywood producer Karim Morani, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, Kalaignar TV director Sharad Kumar and P. Amirthan were charge-sheeted by the ED in the case.

The 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 (KTV) Pvt. Ltd., Dynamix Realty, Eversmile Construction Company Private Limited, Conwood Construction and Developers (P) Ltd., DB Realty Ltd. and Nihar Construction Pvt. Ltd.

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

"The investigation revealed that an 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 legitimate financial transaction, that is as loan/share application money," the ED has said in the charge sheet.

It has 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 Enforcement Directorate (ED) has added 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.