DMK chief M Karunanidhi likely in 2G net

New Delhi: The CBI on Monday sought permission in the Supreme Court to register a fresh FIR to conduct further investigation against some of the accused in the 2G spectrum allocation case, based on the conversations between former IPS officer and DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, with reference to observations in the Nira Radia tapes.  

Though the CBI did not name the accused against whom fresh FIR is to be filed, indications are that it may knock at the doors of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi. Mr Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal is already an accused in the 2G case.

Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the CBI, told a bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra that the CBI had filed status report as on April 20 and the ED as on April 17. He said the CBI had authenticated the conversations in the tapes and as it was found genuine, it wanted to register fresh FIR against some of the accused in the main FIR to conduct further investigation. Trial in the main 2G case has reached the stage of final arguments.

The CJI asked the counsel whether it was not obligatory on the part of the court to issue notice to those accused as fresh charges are to be leveled against them in the new FIR. Counsel said notice was not necessary as the CBI was to conduct only further investigation.

Counsel Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Centre for PIL, which had filed an application for further probe, endorsed Mr Venugopal’s submissions and said no notice was needed to be issued to the accused.