ED challenges acquittal of Kanimozhi and Raja

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday moved the high court here challenging a lower court order acquitting former telecom minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and 15 others in the money laundering case arising out of the 2G telecom scam.

ED, in its charge sheet, had alleged that ~2 billion was paid by Swan Telecom promoters to DMK-run Kalaignar TV.

The CBI had alleged that there was a loss of ~309.8 billion to the exchequer in allocation of licences for the 2G spectrum which were scrapped by the top court on February 2,

2012.

Special

Judge O P Saini, however, had then held that the prosecution had “miserably failed” to prove the charges. The special court, which was set up on March 14, 2011 for hearing 2G cases exclusively, had also acquitted Essar Group promoters Ravi Kant Ruia and Anshuman Ruia and six others in a separate case arising out of the 2G scam probe.

The first case, prosecuted by CBI, had 17 accused, while the second matter, pursued by ED, had 19 undertrials. The third one had eight accused including Essar promoters.

In the CBI case, Raja, Kanimozhi and 15 others were tried under provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act dealing with offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, using as genuine fake documents, abusing official position, criminal misconduct by public servant and taking bribe.

The first case, prosecuted by CBI, had 17 accused, while the second matter, pursued by ED, had 19 undertrials