Raja, others arranged proceeds of crime for KTV: ED officer

He was allegedly in cahoots with DMK chief M Karunanidhi's wife, daughter and others

A special court hearing the money laundering case arising out of the 2G scam was today told by a top ED official that ex-Telecom Minister A Raja in association with DMK chief M Karunanidhi's wife, daughter and others had arranged the "proceeds of crime" to park it in Kalaignar TV.

Deposing as a prosecution witness in the case, Enforcement Directorate's (ED) Joint Director Himanshu Kumar Lal told Special CBI Judge O P Saini that Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal and others had parked the money in Kalaignar TV for the "illegal favour" given to Shahid Balwa-promoted Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) by Raja in granting UAS licences.

"A Raja, in association with other accused, Kanimozhi Karunanithi, M K Dayalu and others, arranged the proceeds of crime from Shahid Usman Balwa, Vinod Goenka, Rajiv Agarwal, Asif Balwa and other accused mentioned in the complaint to be parked in Kalaignar TV (P) Ltd for the illegal favour granted to STPL by him in granting UAS Licences.

"He (Raja) was also actually involved in the reverse flow of the proceeds of crime from Kalaignar TV (P) Ltd to Dynamix Realty through Cineyug Films (P) Ltd and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables(P) Ltd and projection of tainted money as untainted through many purported documents like share subscriptions agreement, pledging of shares etc," Lal said on being asked by ED's prosecutor N K Matta to explain Raja's role in the case.

Besides Raja, Kanimozhi and Dayalu, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and 14 others, including nine companies, are facing trial in the case in which ED has named 30 persons as prosecution witnesses.

On October 31, the court had put on trial the 19 accused -- 10 individuals and nine companies -- under PMLA after they had pleaded not guilty and said they will face the trial for the charges against them.

The court had framed charges against the accused, saying that Raja, allegedly in "connivance" with Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal and other co-accused, was involved in "parking" of illegal gratification of Rs 200 crore in DMK-run Kalaignar TV.

If convicted, Raja and others will face jail term of up to seven years.