2G spectrum scam: NGO associated with Kanimozhi raided

An NGO in which chief minister M Karunanidhi's daughter and MP Kanimozhi is a director and the office of an auditor of former telecom minister A Raja were searched today as part of the CBI raids being carried out across Tamil Nadu in connection with the second generation mobile telephony spectrum scam.

The CBI also raided Raja's residence at his native Velur village at Perambalur, his erstwhile Lok Sabha constituency, official sources said.

Besides Raja's residence, officials raided the premises of senior journalist and Associate Editor of Tamil magazine 'Nakkeran', Kamaraj, Raja's auditor Subramanyam, Raja's siblings at Tiruchirapalli and other close aides in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli and Perambalur districts.

Kamaraj is known to be close to DMK circles.

Tamil Maiyam, which describes itself as a registered Indian non-profit organization, was also raided by the CBI.

Kanimozhi is on the board of directors of Tamil Maiyam while Rev Jegath Gasper Raj is the managing trustee.

Kanimozhi declined to comment on the ongoing raids.

The organisation, which organises the annual cultural event Chennai Sangamam amidst much fanfare, claims to work with the main objectives of 'promoting Tamil art, literature and culture with special thrust on research, creative productions and publications.'

CBI officials also raided the residence of a Tamil TV channel reporter GL Narasimhan, believed to be close to Raja, at Tiruchirappalli.

A team of CBI officials from Delhi have come down for the searches, being conducted a week after the December 8 raids at Raja's residence in Delhi and that of his aides in the national capital and Chennai.