High court notice to CBI on Kanimozhi's bail plea

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Delhi High Court Tuesday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the bail plea of DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar, who have been named co-accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Justice Ajit Bharihoke asked the CBI to reply by May 30, which means that the DMK leader will have to spend at least one week more in Tihar jail.

The CBI named Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar as co-conspirators in its April 25 supplementary chargesheet after it traced an illegal money trail of Rs.214 crore in the scam to Kalaignar TV, majority-owned by the family of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi.

Morani appears in court

Cineyug Films' founder Karim Morani, named as co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, made his first appearance in the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here on Tuesday, a day after his anticipatory bail plea on health grounds was dismissed by the court.

Morani had been exempted from personal appearance in court.

DMK leaders M.K. Stalin and T.R. Baalu were also in the court to attend the proceedings after their party MP Kanimozhi was brought in from Tihar Jail.

Kanimozhi should not get concessions: Jayalalithaa

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said that Kanimozhi should not be granted bail in the 2G spectrum case just because she is a woman.

"It's a wrong argument for bail. In politics, no concession is given because you are a woman. The same applies for criminal activities," she said at a press conference.

Kanimozhi's lawyer Ram Jethmalani had earlier argued before the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in New Delhi that she should be granted bail as she was a woman and was not involved in the day to day operations of Kalaignar TV.