File pic: Former Telecom Minister A Raja
Charges have been framed against former telecom minister A Raja, DMK parliamentarian Kanimozhi and her stepmother Dayalu Ammal in a money-laundering case linked to the 2G scam.
If found guilty, Mr Raja and Ms Kanimozhi could face three to seven years in prison.
The two DMK leaders have been accused of money-laundering a 200-crore kickback received in exchange for spectrum licences. So has Dayalu Ammal, 84, who is Kanimozhi's step-mother and the wife of DMK chief M Karunanidhi.
A special court today framed charges against 19 people accused in the case, including Swan telecom promoters Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka.
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 out of turn. 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.
Both Mr Raja and Kanimozhi were jailed on serious criminal charges before being granted bail.