2G scam: Kanimozhi lodged in Tihar Jail

DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar, named as co-conspirators in the 2G spectrum scam, were today taken into custody after a special CBI court rejected their bail pleas.

CBI special judge O P Saini said: "Both the bail applications (of Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar) are dismissed. As per the court orders, they are to be taken into custody."

Kanimozhi, who was accompanied to court by her husband Aravindan and clad in an orange salwar-kurta, tried to regain her composure after the judgment was pronounced and later told her supporters that "she was expecting the decision".

Her security guard burst into tears as the judge announced his decision.

The CBI had named Kanimozhi, daughter of DMK chief M Karunanidhi, and Sharad Kumar as co-conspirators in its April 25 supplementary charge sheet after it traced an illegal money trail of Rs 214 crore in the scam.

As the judge pronounced the verdict, co-accused -- and former communications minister -- A. Raja looked shocked. The DMK MP is already in jail in connection with the case, related to irregularities in the allocation of airwaves to telecom companies that caused huge losses to the exchequer.

She has been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act for taking bribe through Kalaignar TV -- a channel run by DMK -- in which a sum of Rs 200 crore was routed from Shahid Usman Balwa's firm DB Realty.

Kanimozhi and Kumar had appeared in court in the morning and were told that the decision on their bail pleas would be made after 1 pm. The hearing was then adjourned till 2.30 pm.

Also present in the courtroom were former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa, Raja's aide R.K. Chandolia, Vinod Goenka of Swan Telecom and Sanjay Chandra of Unitech.

Two officials of ADAG, Gautam Doshi and Hari Nair, who were also named in the charge sheet, were present in the courtroom.

Cineyug Film's Karim Morani was not present as he got exemption from personal appearance due to his ill health, while Surendra Pipara of Reliance, who is in judicial custody, was also not present in the court as he is undergoing treatment for a heart problem at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Kalaignar TV channel had earlier stated that the Rs.214 crore it got was a loan and paid back with interest.