Where has the Rs 200 cr gone? SC poser to CBI in 2G scam

New Delhi, Jun 13: Asking CBI to explain where Rs 200 crore, allegedly diverted to DMK-owned Kalaignar TV in 2G scam, has gone, the Supreme Court today (June 13) sought the probe agency's response on DMK MP Kanimozhi's bail plea in the case.

A bench of justices B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar, while terming "corruption as the worst form of human rights violation," asked CBI to come out with a status report on the loss to the state exchequer due to the award of 13 licences to one of the telecom operators and trial proceedings in the CBI special court.

The court granted a week's time to CBI to file its response on the three issues and the bail pleas of Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar, MD of Kalaignar TV.

Kanimozhi and Kumar, named as accused in the second charge sheet for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 200 crore, were arrested on May 20 after the special court dismissed their bail pleas in the case.

Both Kanimozhi and Kumar have 20 per cent stake each in Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd which allegedly received Rs 200 crore through a "circuitous" route from Shahid Balwa promoted DB Realty.

Senior counsel Altaf Ahmed and Sushil Kumar Jain, appearing for Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar during the brief arguments, submitted the accused were not recipient of the spectrum and had merely taken a loan of Rs 200 crore which has been returned.

The argument, however, failed convince the bench which pointed that the charge sheet clearly stated that the so-called amount was not part of a legal transaction.

PTI