Politics
Jaya DA case: Karnataka Advocate General quits
Feb 9th
Bangalore: In a fresh embarrassment for the Karnataka government, Advocate General B V Acharya has resigned from his post.
The move came after Acharya was asked to quit as the Special Public Prosecutor in the Jayalalithaa Disproportionate Assets case.
Acharya said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had asked him to resign as the Special Public Prosecutor citing conflict of interest.
Acharya quit after a public interest litigation (PIL) challenged his holding the position of Advocate General and Special Public Prosecutor at the same time.
The role of prosecutor was assigned to him by the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court.
Source : http://ibnlive.in.com/news/jaya-da-case-karnataka-advocate-general-quits/228491-37-64.html
Tie-up with secular party for next Lok Sabha poll: Karunanidhi
Feb 4th
Chennai: The DMK party would align with a secular party having the nation’s interest in mind in the next Lok Sabha elections, party president M. Karunanidhi said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after chairing the party’s general council meeting, Karunanidhi said, “The Lok Sabha elections are far away. The party will align with only secular parties having national interest.”
Refusing to comment on the Supreme Court’s order on the issue of probing union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s role in the allotment of second generation (2G) spectrum licences to telecom companies, Karunanidhi strongly disagreed with union Communications Minister Kapil Sibal’s statement Thursday that DMK’s A Raja was responsible for the spectrum trouble.
Strongly disagreeing with the comments of union Communications Minister Kapil Sibal on the procedure adopted for allotment of 2G spectrum, Karunanidhi said what former telecom minister A Raja followed was the policy laid down in 2003.
Sibal had on Friday sought to shift blame on Raja, who is currently in Tihar Jail, for alleged irregularities in the manner in which the policy was implemented, saying the Supreme Court clearly stated that Raja did not heed to the “good advice of both the PM and the finance ministry”.
Karunanidhi also denied any discussion on the changes in the party leadership structure at the meeting, and said the issue will be decided at the party elections.
However, party officials said at the general council the succession issue did crop up with a senior leader questioning the moves of some partymen to become the leader when Karunanidhi is still around.
This triggered off slogan shouting by supporters of M.K. Stalin, son of Karunanidhi. Stalin and his elder brother M.K. Alagiri are eyeing to succeed Karunanidhi in the party.
Queried about his retirement plans, Karunanidhi said even his wives are in favour of him stepping down but he was not able to quit.
On the party’s candidate for the ensuing by-election in the Sankarankoil seat, he said the party would announce its candidate once the election date is announced.
Jaya Vs N Ram: TN court to hear defamation case
Jan 27th
New Delhi: A Chennai court will on Friday hear a criminal defamation case filed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa against ‘The Hindu’ newspaper’s former editor-in-chief N Ram, for publishing a controversial article earlier carried by Tamil magazine Nakheeran.
In her petition, the AIADMK chief has alleged that N Ram allowed the publication of the controversial article without checking the veracity of the content.
Jaya Lalitha has not asked for compensation but wants N Ram to be prosecuted for the publication.
Nakkeeran reportedly published a cover story on 8th of November last year about the Chief Minister eating beef and ‘The Hindu’ carried the article the very next day.
Landgrab cops quiz Udayanidhi
Jan 6th
Former chief minister M. Karunanidhi’s grandson Udayanidhi Stalin on Thursday morning appeared before the investigation officers of landgrab cell at the commissionerate in Egmore.
The officials at CCB conducted inquiries with Udayanidhi Stalin, who will appear before the investigation officer in landgrab cell every day at 10 am and had came to sign the anticipatory bail register at the assistant commissioner’s office in Central Crime Branch.
However, Udayanidhi’s lawyers said they would file a petition with the Madras high court seeking to relax his bail conditions.
Udayanidhi said that he was asked whether he rented the house bought by Venugopal Reddy, one of the accused in the case and had answered in the affirmative.
In the first week of December, CCB officials registered a cheating case against the former deputy chief minister, Stalin, his son Udayanidhi and Stalin’s aides Rajasankar, Srinivas, businessmen Subba Reddy and Venugopal Reddy based on a complaint by S. Kumar, a businessman from Alwarpet.
The complainant claimed that he was forced to sell his two and-a-half ground property in Teynampet at a low price.
A few days later, the high court granted anticipatory bail to Udayanidhi Stalin and Stalin’s aide Rajasankar, who surrendered before the magistrate court in Saidapet and got his bail order. Udayanidhi Stalin sought time, as he was on vacation.
The court ordered Udayanidhi Stalin to appear before the magistrate in Saidapet before the second week of January. In line with the order, Udayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday surrendered before the XI metropolitan magistrate court in Saidapet.
Earlier, Stalin met the additional director general of police T. Rajendran, claiming that the case has been foisted against him.
Source : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/landgrab-cops-quiz-udayanidhi-339
Jayalalitha expels friend Sasikalaa from party, home
Dec 20th
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on Monday expelled her close associate, Sasikalaa Natarajan, and 13 others, mostly Sasikalaa’s relatives, from the party’s primary membership. Long regarded as an important member of the CM’s household, Sasikalaa also left Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden bungalow with her brood.
A terse AIADMK press release said Sasikalaa and 11 of her family members “are expelled from the primary membership of the party and relieved of their posts with immediate effect” without giving any reason for their expulsion.
Sasikalaa’s banishment comes in the wake of a series of resignations and sackings of key officials, apparently appointed at Sasikalaa’s behest. Sections within AIADMK burst into celebrations, setting off fireworks in front of AIADMK headquarters in Chennai and revealing the extent of dominance Sasikalaa had over the party. According to party sources, she had antagonized many with her alleged efforts to ensure key posts in the party and state administration to those close to her and from her Thevar community.
Relatives of J Jayalalithaa’s once close aide Sasikalaa Natarajan are shocked at the CM’s decision to oust her from the party. A nephew of Sasikalaa, not willing to be named, told TOI, “It was shocking. But we always respect Amma. She has all the right to take any decision. We hope everything will be resolved soon.”
Theories abound for Jayalalithaa’s move to snap her 30-year ties with Sasikalaa. A party source said one cause of Sasikalaa’s exit could be Jaya’s bid to reassert herself within the party and douse speculation about possible machinations by Sasikalaa’s family members to play greater role in the party. The statement listed the names of Sasikalaa’s husband M Natarajan and his brother M Ramachandran and several of her nephews, including T T V Dinakaran, an ex-MP, V Bhaskaran, in charge of J J TV, V N Sudhakaran, Jaya’s erstwhile foster son, Dr G Venkatesh, and her brother V K Diwakar.
Sasikalaa’s relative Ravanan, who oversees party affairs in Coimbatore, Mohan, who heads a city-based distillery, and Rajarajan, son-in-law of her niece Ilavarasi, were also expelled. A second release, issued a few hours later, announced the expulsion of two more relatives of Sasikalaa, including V Mahadevan, former state secretary of the Jayalalithaa Forum, and his brother V Thangamani. “Jayalalithaa’s move is aimed at giving a better sense of direction to the administration and ensure cleaner governance. It is also to ensure that no extra-constitutional authority directs the government and proper democratic functioning of the party founded by MGR,” said a source close to the AIADMK supremo.
This is the second time in their long association that Jaya has distanced herself from Sasikalaa. In May 1996, soon after her party’s disastrous assembly elections, she announced her estrangement with Sasikalaa, saying she was snapping ties out of respect for the sentiments of the people and partymen. There were widespread allegations then that the extravagant display of wealth during the wedding of Sudhakaran, Sasikalaa’s nephew Jayalalithaa’s foster son, contributed to the party’s electoral setback in ’96. But the two soon got back together to face a slew of corruption charges. “Such a patch up is unlikely now. Jayalalithaa has put aside her emotions in the larger interests of the state,” said the source.
There were indications a week ago that all wasn’t well in Poes Garden. OSD A Panneerselvam, a Sasikalaa nominee, quit from a key post created to oversee rollout of several welfare measures. DSP K Thirumalaisamy, the CM’s personal security officers and known to be a strong Sasikalaa supporter, was shifted. The CM also met some key ministers, and party seniors, directing them not to heed Sasikalaa’s instructions.
A source said one cause of Sasikalaa’s exit could be Jaya’s bid to reassert herself within the party and douse speculation about possible machinations by Sasikalaa’s family to play greater role
DMK MP Kanimozhi released from Tihar
Nov 29th
DMK MP Kanimozhi on Tuesday walked free out of Tihar Jail after spending 193 days following her arrest in 2G spectrum allocation case and repeated denial of bail that had ignited a debate over bail jurisprudence in the country.
While a huge media contingent waited outside country’s largest prison to capture the moments of her coming out, 43-year old Ms. Kanimozhi was whisked away in a convoy of cars from a gate which was out of the media’s view.
Besides Ms. Kanimozhi, those released from the prison on Tuesday included Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, Bollywood filmmaker Karim Morani and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd directors Rajiv Aggarwal and Asif Balwa.
The daughter of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who was arrested on May 20, was granted bail on Monday by the Delhi High Court following the Supreme Court’s order in the case of five other accused last week.
She had to spend one night extra in prison as orders for her release from Tihar was issued by the special CBI court on Tuesday evening.
Wearing a pink salwar suit, Ms. Kanimozhi drove straight to her residence along with her husband Aravindan and more than a dozen DMK MPs have reached there to receive her.
DMK parliamentary party leader T.R. Baalu gave her a bouquet as she got out of the car at her residence in Central Delhi after a 40-minute drive from the prison.
“Kanimozhi was released at 7.30 p.m. and all the other four left in one car,” Tihar Prison spokesperson Sunil Gupta said.
Source: The Hindu
2G case: Kanimozhi and four others get bail
Nov 28th
New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Monday granted bail to DMK MP Kanimozhi and four other accused in the 2G spectrum allocation case. The order on the bail plea of former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura was reserved.
Allowing bail to Kanimozhi and the other four, Justice V.K. Shali said all the five bail ‘applications are allowed’ as ‘there is no chance of their fleeing from the process of law’.
Besides Kanimozhi, bail was granted to Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar, Cineyug Films’ Karim Morani, and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt. Ltd. directors Asif Balwa and Rajeev B. Agarwal.
Justice Shali said: ‘I allow bail application of all five accused persons. However, they are being directed to be released on bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs.5 lakh each with two sureties for the like amount to the satisfaction of the special court.’
Conditions set by the Supreme Court while granting bail to five co-accused and telecom companies’ officials last week will also apply in the case of Kanimozhi and the other four, the high court said.
Justice Shali said: ‘If the accused persons directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts or the case so as to dissuade him to disclose facts, the CBI would have liberty to seek appropriate recalling of the order passed by this court.’
The court directed all the accused to surrender their passports and said ‘they must appear whenever they are called’ before the court.
‘Almost all the accused persons have roots in the society, though living in different parts of the country with varied interest, therefore, there is no chance of their fleeing from the process of law,’ said Justice Shali.
The court said that in any case ‘their movements can be regulated by imposing conditions set by the Supreme Court’.
‘Most of the evidence against the petitioners is documentary evidence and there is in my view be no prima facie evidence or likelihood which may persuade the court to doubt that the petitioners have reason to believe that they may create conditions which may not be conducive to hold free and fair trial,’ said Justice Shali.
On May 20, Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar were named co-accused and sent to judicial custody. Ten days later Morani also joined them in jail.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) earlier opposed Behura’s bail, saying that he, along with former telecom minister A. Raja and his former private secretary R.K. Chandolia, was involved in the conspiracy for grant of telecom licences.
The probe agency did not oppose the bail applications of Kanimozhi and the other four.
Behura, Kanimozhi and four others moved the court Nov 23 for early hearing of their bail applications after the apex court granted bail to five corporate executives co-accused in the case — Sanjay Chandra of Unitech Wireless, Vinod Goenka of Swan Telecom and Reliance Group’s Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair.
The apex court ordered the release of the five co-accused, in custody since April, on a surety of Rs.5 lakh each but also allowed the CBI to seek a review if the bail was misused.
Now, only four individuals, of the 14 arrested by the CBI in the case, remain behind bars. These are Raja, Behura, Chandolia and Swan Telecom’s Shahid Usman Balwa.
Bail applications of Chandolia and Shahid Usman Balwa would be taken up by CBI Special Court Judge O.P. Saini Wednesday.
Raja has still not applied for bail since his arrest Feb 2.
Raja, a DMK MP, resigned as minister Nov 14 last year after the Comptroller and Auditor General reported that the faulty auction process in the allocation of second-generation telephony had led to a notional loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore.
Source: Yahoo News
2G: Delhi HC to hear Kanimozhi’s bail plea today
Nov 24th
New Delhi: A day after bail was granted to five corporate executives, the Delhi High court is likely to hear the bail plea of DMK MP and 2G scam accused Kanimozhi on Thursday. Kanimozhi has sought an early listing of the matter.
Kanimozhi’s application cites Wednesday’s ruling of the Supreme Court, that granted bail to 5 corporate executives, also accused in the 2g Spectrum scam.
Kanimozhi has argued that keeping her in jail any longer is a violation of her fundamental rights.
Kanimozhi and former telecom minister A Raja, who celebrated Diwali behind bars this year, has not been granted bail so far. Kanimozhi, in particular, has been seen in tears on many occasions after the court denied her bail.
Last time, the court rejected her bail plea, saying that the “crime committed was a deliberate offence, an economic offence and very serious in nature.”
Wednesday’s decision was the first time that any of the accused in the 2G scam was granted bail and this can be a precedent by the lower court, say experts.
Sanjay Hedge, a Supreme Court lawyer, said that the bail order would definitely impact the cases of other accused.
“You will recollect that there were some accused against which the prosecution did not even oppose the bail. And they continue to remain in jail. In such cases, it is pretty certain that the courts would consider the facts that other accused have got bail,” he said.
However, he said that some of the accused “who are central to the controversy may not get the benefit”. But largely the corporate people who are on the periphery of the scam, would benefit from the order, he said.
DMK leader TR Baalu said, “Let us wait for the first petition already being moved, may be HC hearing it on Thursday. We have got very good hope now. We all are hopeful.”
Kanimozhi has been lodged in Tihar Jail since May 20 and the trial court had recently denied bail to her, despite the CBI not opposing her bail plea.
Kanimozhi’s last statement before she was sent to judicial custody in the 2G scam on the May 20, 2011 was “I am not a soft target”
Since then her focus has been getting bail but the courts did not entertain her bail plea till charges were framed. That meant that she had to spend the last five months including a Diwali in prison.
Source : http://ibnlive.in.com/news/2g-delhi-hc-to-hear-kanimozhis-bail-plea-today/205190-37-64.html
