No links with 2G spectrum scam, says priest after CBI raid

"She is just a trustee of Tamil Maiyam... We value her association...", Gasper told reporters here.

Yesterday, CBI raided Tamil Maiyam, in which Kanimozhi is a trustee, as part of its probe into the scam. Denying any association of Tamil Maiyam with the 2G spectrum scam, he said, "Our books are clean. We are not afraid. Tamil Maiyam has no links with 2G.

"Nothing will stop our association with political leaders... Tomorrow if AIADMK comes to power, we will associate with them."

Gasper denied charges that DMK leaders were donating huge funds to his NGO. "We are unfairly targeted just because we are joined by political personalities..."
Strongly denying that funds were routed through his NGO, he said anybody can come and investigate the accounts and the books. "We are still functioning this NGO in a rented place. We pay Rs 40,000 as rent per month," he said.

"We are wrongly targetted." Reading out a statement, he said CBI conducted a search in the office of Tami Maiyam with the scope, as mentioned in the warrant, being to see whether "alleged" scam funds found their way also into the NGO.

"We wish to state categorically that neither Tamil Maiyam nor its managing trustee (Jagath Gasper Raj) is in any way connected with the 2G spectrum issue or the alleged scam funds associated with it."

Tamil Maiyam cooperated with the CBI search, he said, adding, the NGO has great regards and respect for the professionalism CBI as a national agency, he said. "We assure CBI of all cooperation until the process of investigation concludes," he said.

In as much as the CBI search casts doubts in the minds of public about the credibility of Tamil Maiyam "we are deeply pained to note that we are being unfairly targeted just because we work with political personalities.

"We very much value the association of Kanimozhi as a trustee who has been greatly instrumental in reviving the folk art tradition of Tamil Nadu through Chennai Sangamam."
The NGO said it condemned and rejected "insinuation" by "some media persons" that the 2G scam money possibly went also to LTTE. Gasper also denied that A Raja, who quit as telecom minister over the 2G spectrum issue, had donated any fund to the NGO.