Karunanidhi clan meets Kanimozhi at Delhi court

NEW DELHI: DMK leader M Karunanidhi's son Tamilarasu and daughter Selvi came to meet their jailed half-sister MP Kanimozhi on Wednesday in the Patiala House court complex. Their meeting inside the courtroom lasted for about 45 minutes.

The duo, who were accompanied by DMK parliamentary party leader T R Baalu, also met ex-telecom Minister A Raja and Kalaignar TV MD Sharath Kumar inside the courtroom and exchanged pleasantries.

Tamilarasu's wife Mohana, senior DMK leader M K Stalin's wife Durga and Union minister Dayanidhi Maran's mother Mallika also met Kanimozhi. The DMK MP was seen smiling and looked composed.

As the hearing proceeded, an illustrator of a prominent national daily was caught making sketches of the courtroom scene.

The court staff intervened, and asked him to stop the illustration. The matter was reported to Special CBI Judge O P Saini since the illustrator refused to pay heed to the court staff.

The judge took exception to his action, and reprimanded him for breaking the decorum of the courtroom.

The court took the copy of his identity card, and also destroyed the sketches made by him in the courtroom.

As the drama unfolded, some of the relatives of the accused, including that of Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, also protested and demanded that the sketches be confiscated since they "could be misused".

The illustrator was warned of being fined, and also reminded that a scribe has been slapped with a Rs 10,000 fine for filing a frivolous petition in connection with the 2G telecom case.

Later, the artist was let off after he apologized to the court.