Arrest doesn't make Raja guilty: DMK

CHENNAI, INDIA: Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK Thursday came out in support of its former communications minister A. Raja and said his arrest in the 2G spectrum allocation scam did not make him guilty.

The party's all-powerful General Council met here and passed a resolution condemning the opposition for blowing the spectrum scam out of proportion. It said the arrest of a person does not necessarily make him guilty.

Raja, also the DMK's propaganda secretary, and two of his aides were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi Wednesday for their role in the controversial allocation of airwaves for second generation (2G) telecom services.

Raja was forced to resign Nov 14 last year after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) indicted him in the scam and for causing losses between Rs.58,000 crore ($12.8 billion) and Rs.1.76 lakh crore ($40 billion) to the exchequer.

The DMK, a key ally of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the centre, Wednesday maintained a studied silence on the arrest with no leaders willing to comment on the matter.

Karunanidhi had earlier said action would be taken against Raja if he was proven guilty.

The General Council also passed a resolution calling for a new agreement with Sri Lanka giving rights to Indian fishermen to fish near Katchatheevu - the islet that was given to the island nation in the 1970s.