New Delhi:
A Delhi court today said it would hear on May 30 the arguments on bail pleas of former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and seven other accused, chargesheeted by the Enforcement Directorate in a 2G scam-related money laundering case.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini made the statement after special public prosecutor U U Lalit informed the court that he would file the replies on the bail pleas on May 30.
During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the accused told the court that scrutiny of documents filed by ED was underway as they have not yet received the complete sets of papers filed along with the charge sheet.
The court directed ED to supply all the documents to the accused during the day itself and asked the defence counsel to complete the scrutiny by May 30.
"Deficiency in documents have been pointed out by all the advocates...put up for reply on bail applications and scrutiny of documents on May 30," the court said.
During the hearing, all the accused, except DMK supremo M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, appeared before the court.
The counsel appearing for Ms Ammal moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance for her on health grounds.
Her counsel told the court that there is "unsoundness of mind" as far as Ms Ammal's health condition is concerned.
The court allowed the exemption plea filed by Ms Ammal's counsel.
Besides Mr Raja and Mr Kanimozhi, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Aggarwal, Bollywood producer Karim Morani, Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar and P Amirtham had on May 26 appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against them and had moved their bail pleas.
They were summoned as accused by the court which had taken cognisance of the ED's charge sheet filed against 19 accused -- 10 individuals and nine companies.
The court had held that there was "enough incriminating material" on record to proceed against them.
ED has also named as accused Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd, Kusegaon Realty Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd), Cineyug Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd), Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd, Dynamix Realty, Eversmile Construction Company Pvt Ltd, Conwood Constructions and Developers (P) Ltd, DB Realty Ltd and Nihar Constructions Pvt Ltd.
The money laundering case relates to the 2G scam in which the DMK-run Kalaignar TV was allegedly paid Rs 200 crore by the promoters of Swan Telecom.
ED has claimed the transaction of Rs 200 crore, which was allegedly paid to Kalaignar TV, was "not genuine" and it was a "bribe for grant of telecom licences to DB Group companies".
ED had earlier told the court that its probe into the case emanates from the 2G scam and the accused had allegedly conspired and committed the scheduled offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
ED also alleged that being the then Telecom Minister, Mr Raja had the principal role in the allotment of 2G licences and he had "assisted" in the offence of money laundering.
It said that Ammal was holding 60 per cent share in Kalaignar TV whereas co-accused Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar had a stake of 20 per cent each.
ED also alleged there was a "reverse trail" of money from Kalaignar TV to Dynamix Realty through Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd (CFPL) and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd (KFVPL).