Kanimozhi sent to Tihar prison

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi's parliamentarian daughter Kanimozhi was arrested along with Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar in the 2G spectrum allocation scam yesterday following rejection of their bail applications by a local court. "Considering the magnitude of the crime and enormity of the allegations, character of evidence on record and the apprehension that witness may be influenced if on bail, I have no hesitation in holding that prima facie case for bail is not made out. Bail applications are without merit and the same are dismissed," Judge O.P. Saini observed and ordered their arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). CBI had named both Kanimozhi and Kumar, who hold 20 per cent stakes each in Kalaignar TV, as co-accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam. Former telecom minister A. Raja, the then telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Raja's personal assistant R.K. Chandolia, Swan Telecom's Shahid Balwa and Vivek Goenka, Sanjay Chandra of Unitech, Reliance Telecom's Gautam Doshi, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara are already in judicial custody as the main accused in the case. All of them, except Pipara who is undergoing treatment for his ailing heart at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, were present in the court when the judge rejected their bail applications and ordered their arrest. Kanimozhi and Kumar have been accused of accepting Rs2.14 billion (Dh178 million) of slush money from the 2G scam. "Considering the magnitude of the crime and nature of allegations against her I cannot give her that consideration," said the judge while rejecting arguments put up by Kanimozhi's lawyer Ram Jethmalani. The 144-page order pointed out that most of the witnesses against Kanimozhi were employees of Kalaignar TV and hence the possibility of they being influenced cannot be ruled out. The duo was later taken to the Tihar Central Jail and would appear before the court today. Kanimozhi, 43, broke down while she hugged her husband G. Aravindan in the courtroom even as she muttered that she was expecting the decision. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by Kanimozhi's father M. Karunanithi, last week suffered a massive defeat, in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections. Saini rejected Kanimozhi's plea that she be granted bail because she was a woman but agreed to allow her to carry her reading glasses, books and medicines along with outside food since South Indian meals are not served inside the Tihar Jail. She has been lodged in Jail No 6 while Sharad Kumar was sent to Jail No 4. The duo is expected to move to the Delhi High Court for bail now. Several DMK leaders including its parliamentary party chief T.R. Baalu were present in the court room. Kanimozhi, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha, had applied for bail after the CBI named her and Kumar in its supplementary chargesheet filed on April 25.