2G scam: Why Karunanidhi's wife not in charge sheet, asks BJP

Congress today said there was no threat to the UPA government in the wake of the naming of DMK MP Kanimozhi in the CBI charge sheet on second-generation mobile telephony spectrum scam while BJP asked the government to clarify why Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Amal was left out of it.

"The government is fully stable. Since 2004 when UPA came to power, there have been illusions about its instability and some people have reached the evening of their lives under such an illusion", party spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

His remarks came amid reports that DMK, a key constituent of the UPA government, had threatened to withdraw some of its ministers from the union cabinet in the wake of today's development.

Replying to questions, Tewari suggested the government has neither any role nor any control over the developments taking place in the on-going investigations into 2G scam.

"Do you think in the Supreme Court-monitored investigation, CBI would have done anything but as per facts of the matter?"

"The draft charge sheet is also being scrutinised by the Supreme Court and the (appointment of the) public prosecutor is also being scrutinised by the court. With such stringent monitoring, could CBI have deviated even an iota from the fact?", said Tewari.

DMK is the third largest constitutent of UPA after Congress and Trinamool Congress and has 18 members in the Lok Sabha.

Tewari ruled out the possibility of DMK parting ways with UPA saying the two parties have been together for long and had an alliance in Tamil Nadu assembly elections.

BJP wanted to know if the government was under some political pressure not to name Dayalu Ammal in the charge sheet despite her having a 60% stake in Kalaignar TV where the pay-off money was allegedly diverted by telecom companies.

BJP asked why Kanimozhi, who has 20% stake in Kalaignar TV, was the only one booked by CBI.

"We have certainly not seen the CBI charge sheet but the name of Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi has come up in supplementary charge sheet. She holds only 20% stake in Kalaignar TV while 60% shareholding is with Ammal but she has not been named in the charge sheet," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

BJP asked CBI and UPA government to come clear on the issue.

"Was there some political reason or political bargaining or political threat that there will be withdrawal of some ministers from UPA (by the DMK)?" Sitharaman said.

"One fails to understand the compulsion of CBI. Why was somebody holding 60% stake not named while Kanimozhi with 20% share was named," Sitharaman said.

There are reports that the money from 2G spectrum scam was transferred to Kalaignar TV. While Kanimozhi is likely to face legal action after she was named in the chargesheet, Ammal- who is Karunanidhi's second wife, appears to have been spared.

Asked to comment on this issue, Tewari said there has been "no whisper of intervention" by the government in the CBI probe.