JOIN US'Kanimozhi active brain behind Kalaignar TV'
DMK leader and MP Kanimozhi was the “active brain” behind formation of the Kalaignar TV, former telecom minister A Raja’s additional private secretary Aseervatham Achary told a special court here on Friday while deposing as a prosecution witness in the Rs 200 crore 2G spectrum allocation scam.
As Special CBI Judge O P Saini asked him to explain what he meant by “active brain”, the witness replied, “By the term, I mean that she used her mind to create something new to suit a person’s requirement”.
Kanimozhi took “active part” in starting the channel, finalising its name and even deciding the programme contents to be aired on it, he deposed as the court asked him to elaborate his statement further “in the light of the instant case.”
During cross examination when the lawyer of the accused pointed out that he did not made this revelation earlier while recording his statement under Section 164 of the CPC, Achary said, “I forgot to say so.”
“It is correct that I told this court during my evidence in scheduled offence that I do not know anything about the constitution of the Kalaignar TV or any of its directors. It is wrong to suggest that I am speaking lies on this point,” he said.
He stated that “personally” saw Kanimozhi taking “active interest” in the formation of the Kalaignar TV. “I have not examined any record of the Kalaignar TV. However, I know that she (Kanimozhi) is an active brain behind Kalaignar TV because during that period of formation of the news channel, I was working with A Raja,” he said.
Achary, who resigned from the government job to join the Bharatiya Janata Party in April 2014, worked as Raja’s personal assistant since 1999 when he was the Rural Development Minister. He continued working as personal assistant of Raja even when he was telecom minister. On October 29, 2008, however, Achary left the telecom ministry and joined railway ministry.
Achary also accepted that he had “political ambitions” and “sought the blessings” of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy when he joined the party quitting his job.
He, however, refused to accept the defence counsel’s suggestion that he was telling lies at this point. He also dismissed the suggestion that he made his statement about Kanimozhi in the court for political reasons.
Achary also told the court that Kanimozhi used to meet Raja at his residence frequently and had once gone to see the telecom minister at his office too. Both of them used to talk to each other regularly, even over phone.
Raja used to speak to the then information and brodcasting minister Priyaranjan Das Munshi and his private secretary Manoj Kumar Aggarwal, and ask them for early grant of the license to Kalaignar TV.
Besides, Sharad Kumar, one of the accused in the case and director of the channel, used to meet Raja both at his office and residence in connection with follow up work of formation of the Kalaignar TV.