2G scam: Raids won’t affect Congress-DMK alliance, says Kanimozhi

CHENNAI - Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi, whose father, M Karunanidhi, is the party chief, said the raids against some of its closest associates in connection with the 2G scam will not affect its alliance with the Congress.

“This (the raids) is a process to show we are clean and DMK is very open to it,” said Kanimozhi.

On Wednesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the office of Tamil Maiyam, an NGO in which Kanimozhi is on the Board of Directors, in connection with the 2G scam.

CBI sleuths also conducted raids at the residence of former Telecom Minister A. Raja’s brother and sister at Srirangam in Tiruchirappalli district. Their residences had been raided last week too.

The CBI raided the residence of Kamaraj, Associate Editor of Tamil magazine ‘Nakkeran’.

The CBI also raided the office and residence of corporate lobbyist Nira Radia in connection with scam.

Former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Pradeep Baijal’s home is also being raided by the CBI sleuths.

Baijal was the TRAI chief between 2004 and 2008. He joined Radia’s firm in 2009.

Last week, the CBI raided the house of former Telecom Minister A Raja in Delhi, and with his houses in Tamil Nadu in connection with the scam.

There were searches in 14 places and important papers were recovered.

Raids were also being carried out at the residences of former Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura, member Telecom K Sridhar, Deputy Director General, Department of Telecom, A.K. Srivastava and RK Chandolia.

The CBI has earlier searched offices of Wireless Planning Cell (WPC), the department responsible for allocating Spectrum, and the office of Deputy Director General (Access Services) of the Telecom Ministry to probe the allegations of connivance of officials with private companies in allocation of Spectrum.

Raja was forced to resign as Minister on last month in the wake of the CAG”s report that the rates at which 2G spectrum was allotted resulted in a possible loss to the exchequer to the tune of Rs 1.76 lakh crore. (ANI)