2G scam: CBI raids Tamil NGO close to Kanimozhi

Chennai: In a new twist to the 2G spectrum scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday raided the office of Tamil Maiyam, an NGO active in Tamil Nadu.

What raised eyebrows is the fact that DMK patron M Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi is on the Board of Directors of the non-government organisation.

Tamil Maiyam’s founder Father Jegath Gasper Raj is believed to be close to the DMK camp.

The DMK so far has been maintaining that it had no role in the 2G scam which has already claimed the post of A Raja as telecom minister.

Kanimozhi declined to comment on the ongoing raids.

Gasper is also known to have a soft corner for the LTTE. During the 2009 war, he is believed to have worked as the main intermediary between the LTTE and the Tamil Nadu government.

Tamil Maiyam describes itself as a registered Indian non-profit organization. It organises the annual cultural event, Chennai Sangamam amidst much fanfare, claims to work with the main objectives of ‘promoting Tamil art, literature and culture with special thrust on research, creative productions and publications.

CBI today also raided Raja’s residence at his native Velur village at Perambalur, his erstwhile Lok Sabha constituency. Further, premises of Raja’s siblings at Tiruchirapalli and other close aides in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli and Perambalur districts, including his auditor Subramanyam, were also searched today.

The CBI also carried out raids at the residence of a senior Tamil journalist, Kamaraj, and TV channel reporter GL Narasimhan. While Kamaraj is associate editor of Tamil magazine ‘Nakkeran’ and is known to be close to DMK circles, Narasimhan is believed to be close to Raja.

The CBI is carrying out searches at various places in the national capital as well as Tamil Nadu today, in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.

Among the other places raided today include the premises of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and former TRAI chairman Pradeep Baijal. Today’s CBI action came a week after it conducted raids at the residences of former telecom minister A Raja, who quit in connection with the scam.

On December 8, apart from Raja the CBI had searched the residence of his four close associates, including his personal secretary RK Chandolia in connection with the scam.

47-year-old Raja was forced to resign as minister on November 14 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.