New Delhi: The recording of defence evidence in a 2G scam-related money laundering case began today before a special court which recorded testimonies of two officials of accused firm Kalaignar TV (KTV).
KTV's Vice President (operations) Humayun Ali Ahamed and its Manager (Finance) K Uma Shankar appeared before the court to testify as defence witnesses and made their depositions on the functioning of the Chennai-based TV channel.
Ahamed told Special CBI Judge O P Saini that he was working with KTV since the inception of channel in July 2007 and was currently reporting to P Amritham, a top official of the channel who is one of the accused in the case.
During his cross-examination by ED's special public prosecutor N K Matta, Ahamed said he had no idea regarding the return of any funds by KTV to another accused firm Cineyug Films (P) Ltd.
Another defence witness, Shankar told the court that he knew about the Rs 200 crore transaction
between KTV and Cineyug Films (P) Ltd as during October 2008, there was an investment proposal from Cineyug Films (P) Ltd.
"Based on this communication, Kalaignar TV (P) Ltd received Rs 200 crore as inter?corporate deposits (loan) from Cineyug Films (P) Ltd," he said, adding that Rs 231.36 crore was repaid by KTV to Cineyug Films (P) Ltd, including Rs 31.36 crore as interest.
Shankar also said that details of repayment were filed by KTV with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) through its July 30, 2011 letter.
During his cross-examination by special public prosecutor Anand Grover, Shankar said it was wrong to suggest that documents relating to transactions between Cineyug Films (P) Ltd and KTV were not genuine.
The court concluded the recording of statements of the two defence witnesses and fixed the matter for further hearing tomorrow.
Former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and 14 others, including nine firms, are facing trial in the case.
ED on April 25 last year had filed a chargesheet against the 19 accused for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The other accused in the case are Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Bollywood producer Karim Morani and P Amirtham. All of them are out on bail.
The court had also framed charges against accused firms STPL, KTV, Kusegaon Realty Pvt Ltd (formerly Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd), Cineyug Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd), Dynamix Realty, DB Realty Ltd, Eversmile Construction Company Pvt Ltd, Conwood Constructions and Developers (P) Ltd and Mystical Construction (P) Ltd (earlier called M/s Nihar Constructions (P) Ltd).
If convicted of the charges against them, Raja and others will face a maximum sentence of up to seven years.
In the money-laundering case, the court had on October 31 last year framed charges against the accused saying that Raja, allegedly in connivance with Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal and other co-accused, was involved in "parking" of illegal gratification of Rs 200 crore in Kalaignar TV.
This is the second case in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in which Raja, Kanimozhi and others are facing trial for their alleged involvement in the scam.
In the first case probed by CBI, Raja, Kanimozhi, Shahid Balwa, Goenka, Asif Balwa, Rajiv Agarwal, Morani and Sharad Kumar, along with others, are facing trial for criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, forgery, cheating and other offences punishable under the provisions of IPC and under Prevention of Corruption Act.
