Enforcement Directorate allowed to drop Karunanidhi's daughter Selvi as witness

NEW DELHI: A special court today allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to drop DMK chief M Karunanidhi's daughter S Selvi as a prosecution witness in a 2G scam-related money laundering case in which the trial is going on.

The court's order came after ED's special prosecutor N K Matta contended that the agency does not wish to examine Selvi and T Siva Subramanian as witnesses in the case.

Selvi and Subramanian, along with 28 others, were named as prosecution witnesses in the charge sheet filed by ED in the case against ex-Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and others, including Selvi's mother Dayalu Ammal.

"It is further submitted by N K Matta, special PP that prosecution does not wish to examine S Selvi and T Siva Subramanian as witnesses in this case. Prayer allowed. Both of them are dropped from the list of witnesses to be examined," Special CBI Judge O P Saini said.

The court is in the process of recording statements of prosecution witnesses in the case in which it had framed charges against 19 accused -- 10 individuals and nine companies -- under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

During the day's hearing, the court recorded statement of ED's Assistant Director Kamal Singh which remained inconclusive and would continue tomorrow.

On October 31 last year, the court had put on trial the 19 accused after they had pleaded not guilty and said that they will go on trial for the charges against them.

The court had framed charges against the accused, saying Raja connived with Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal and other co-accused in "parking" of illegal gratification of Rs 200 crore in DMK-run Kalaignar TV.

If convicted, Raja and others will face a maximum sentence of upto seven years.