Kanimozhi moves Delhi High Court seeking bail

Kanimozhi moves Delhi High Court seeking bail

Three days after the dismissal of her bail plea, DMK MP Kanimozhi along with Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar on Monday moved the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court's order.

CBI Special Judge O P Saini had rejected Kanimozhi and Kumar's bail pleas on 20^th May and ordered their "forthwith" arrest.

They are currently lodged in Tihar Jail. The CBI had named 43-year-old Kanimozhi and Kumar as accused in the second chargesheet filed on 25^th April in the 2G scam.

It had indicted Kanimozhi for taking a bribe to the tune of Rs 200 crore, which was routed to Kalaignar TV, in which she has 20 percent stake.

Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Kanimozhi in the special court, had sought her release on the ground that she is a woman.

"Even in the cases of grievous nature like murder, an accused may be released on bail solely on the ground that she is a woman," Jethmalani had argued.

The special CBI court, however, refused to accept the submissions and had said that in a case of such enormity, gender cannot be a ground for bail.

"Sex is one of the grounds which may be considered at the time of grant of bail. However, considering the magnitude of the crime and the allegations against her, I am unable to show any consideration to her on this ground," it had said.

However, the "dignified" conduct of Kanimozhi during court proceedings had earned her some special praise from the special court.

"I wish, I could show her some consideration, considering her extremely dignified conduct in the court," the CBI Judge had said.

Karunanidhi in Delhi to meet daughter Kanimozhi

DMK President M Karunanidhi arrived in New Delhi on Monday to meet his daughter Kanimozhi, who is in jail in connection with the 2G Spectrum case.

The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is expected to visit Kanimozhi in Tihar Jail this evening.

He may also meet former Telecom Minister A Raja and Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, who are also lodged in the jail.

Asked whether he would meet Gandhi, he had on Sunday said: "I don't think there will be an opportunity."

Karunanidhi meets Sonia Gandhi whenever he visits New Delhi. It has been the practice ever since the party aligned with Congress in 2004.

Kanimozhi is in Tihar jail since Friday on bribery charges. The DMK chief's wife Rajathi Ammal had met Kanimozhi on Saturday at the court.

The DMK chief had on Saturday in an epistle to party cadres put up a spirited defence of Kanimozhi, saying her only crime was being a shareholder of Kalaignar TV.

"The arrest is a vendetta against DMK and my family ranging from Kanyakumari to Himalayas", Karunanidhi said.

However, the DMK patriarch said he was confident of winning the "final war."

Karunanidhi said it was he who advised Kanimozhi to be a shareholder of Kalaignar TV through the money received from Sun Television Network when his wife Dayaluammal sold her share for Rs 100 crore in October 2005.

Out of this money received from the network, Rs 22.5 crore was paid as tax while the "remaining was shared", Karunanidhi said without elaborating.

"It was I who asked Kanimozhi to pay her share amount of Rs two crore to become a shareholder of Kalaignar TV. Though she was not inclined, she accepted my advice to be a shareholder of Kalaignar TV. This is the only crime she (Kanimozhi) committed", Karunanidhi said.

"It is common for a shareholder to be a part of the company's profits and losses. But they are not responsible for its day-to-day activities," he had said.