CBI probing ‘2G kickback’ tapes

The suspicion is that the conversation pertained to alleged kickbacks in the allocation of 2G spectrum involving Kalaignar TV.

AAP leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav addressing the media regarding the DMK chief's family's alleged involvement in 2G scam kickbacks, releasing taped conversation. Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will examine the alleged conversation between M.S. Jaffar Sait, when he was the Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence), Tamil Nadu, and Sharad Kumar Reddy, former managing director of Kalaignar TV, which was published in a section of the media a couple of days ago.

The conversation, and transcripts revealed by Prashant Bhushan, Aam Aadmi Party leader and lawyer-activist, in New Delhi on Tuesday, purportedly show how documents were tampered with to cover up the trail of money to the channel in the 2G spectrum case.

CBI sources said the transcripts would also be looked into.

“The CBI is in the process of obtaining the recordings or transcripts of the said conversation after which necessary action as per law will be taken. We will also examine the conversation (purportedly between Mr. Jaffar Sait and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M. Karunanidhi’s secretary Shanmuganathan) that was brought to public domain today,” a CBI official told

The Hindu .

The official, who said the conversation came to the notice of the agency through media reports, denied rumours that a CBI team had landed in Chennai on Tuesday to investigate the matter. “The authenticity of the transcript and the relevance of the conversation to the case have to be ascertained first,” the official said.

The suspicion is that the conversation pertained to alleged kickbacks in the allocation of 2G spectrum involving Kalaignar TV in which the family members of Mr. Karunanidhi, including his daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, have shares.

Mr. Jaffar Sait, who belongs to the 1986 batch of the Indian Police Service, served as Inspector-General of Police and then the Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence) in the DMK regime. After the AIADMK returned to power, a case was registered against him in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of a Tamil Nadu Housing Board plot and he was subsequently placed under suspension.

However, the Ministry of Home Affairs declined sanction to prosecute the officer on the grounds that there was not enough evidence. Mr. Jaffar Sait could not be reached for his comment.