Delay in recording Dayalu's statement may prolong

Delay in recording the statement of DMK supremo M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, who is a CBI witness in the 2G spectrum allocation case, might prolong the ongoing trial, a Delhi court observed today and directed the probe agency to expedite the matter.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini, who had last month appointed Chennai's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) as commissioner to record 84-year-old Ammal's testimony, said that despite lapse of over a month, the statement has not been recorded till date.

The judge, who is holding the trial in the 2G case on a day-to-day basis, directed CBI to take up the matter with the CMM, Chennai so that Ammal's statement is recorded at the earliest.

The CMM Chennai was appointed as the commissioner for the purpose after the Supreme Court had on August 22 refused to exempt Ammal from deposing as a witness in the case.

The apex court, however, had exempted her from personal appearance in the special CBI court and had directed that she be examined in Chennai.

The apex court had passed the order on a plea filed by Ammal's daughter Selvi seeking a direction to exempt her mother from appearing before the trial court as prosecution witness on medical ground.

The special CBI judge said, "But nothing has been heard as yet from that (Chennai) court despite lapse of more than a month, though the case is being heard on a day-to-day basis. Delay in recording her statement may result in delaying the trial itself.

"Accordingly, CBI is directed to take up the matter with the Commissioner/CMM, Chennai, and to get the recording of statement of Dayalu Karunanidhi expedited to the earliest possible date," the court said, adding that copy of the order be sent "immediately" to the CMM Chennai.