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New Delhi, A special court on Friday framed charges against former telecom minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and others under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act in the 2G scam.
The court also framed charges against Dayalu Ammal, wife of DMK chief M Karunanidhi, Swan telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka in the money laundering case.
The court said prima facie charge of money laundering has been made out against all 19 accused chargesheeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Earlier, the ED had chargesheeted 19 accused — 10 individuals and nine firms — in the case saying that the transaction of Rs 200 crore, which was allegedly paid to DMK-run Kalaignar TV, was “not genuine” and it was a “bribe for grant of telecom licences to DB Group companies”.
However, Raja, Kanimozhi and all other accused have pleaded not guilty and seek trial in the case.
In August, A Raja, Kanimozhi and eight other accused in a 2G scam-related money laundering case were granted bail by a special court which said that considering their conduct, there was “no likelihood” that they will commit such offence again.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini had also allowed the bail plea of 83-year-old Ammal on a personal bond of Rs five lakh with two sureties of the like amount.
Besides Raja and Kanimozhi, ED had named Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Bollywood producer Karim Morani, Ammal and P Amirtham as accused in the case.
PTI
