File photo of DMK chief Karunanidhi (left) and his wife Dayalu Ammal
Smack in the middle of the national election, the
telecom scam has flared up again for the DMK, whose top leaders are accused of orchestrating one of India's biggest swindles.
Party leaders Raja and M Kanimozhi have been charge-sheeted for money-laundering a 200-crore kickback by the Enforcement Directorate. So has Dayalu Ammal, 84, who is Kanimozhi's step-mother and the wife of DMK chief M Karunanidhi.
The new case against her will be read by the DMK as a stinging new consequence of its deepening estrangement from the Congress, with whom it refused to ally for the election. The Enforcement Directorate reports to the Finance Ministry, which is headed by P Chidambaram, a top Congress leader who is also from Tamil Nadu.
The state voted yesterday for all its 39 parliamentary seats. Till a year ago, the DMK was a member of the PM's coalition government. (
Read: DMK quits UPA over Sri Lanka row)
Sources say today's charges are serious enough for a CBI court to order the arrest of the DMK leaders involved. The party today repeated that what is being taken for a kickback was a legitimate loan that was re-paid.
The CBI, which is investigating the telecom scam, says that as Telecom Minister in 2008, Mr Raja accepted bribes in exchange for handing out mobile network licenses and spectrum. Prosecutors say that a 200-crore bribe from Swan Telecom was routed to Mr Raja through a TV channel co-owned by Kanimozhi and Dayalu Ammal. (
2G case: Court to record statements of A Raja, others from May 5)
In a sign that it accepted Dayalu Ammal's defense that she does not speak English and was not involved with the management of the channel, the CBI has not listed her as an accused in its case. (
Read: Not aware of source of Rs 200 crore, says Dayalu Ammal)
Today's money-laundering charges place her back at the centre of the inquiry. (
Read: Don't know what is 2G, says Dayalu Ammal)
Both Mr Raja and Kanimozhi were jailed on serious criminal charges before being granted bail. (
1,800 questions are from CBI, not Heaven, so bring them on, says A Raja)
Today's chargesheet also includes Shahid Balwa, the promoter of Swan.