Kanimozhi off to Delhi as tension simmers in DMK

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It’s difficult to say what is worrying DMK chief M. Karunanidhi more these days — the vote-count on May 13 or the appearance of daughter Kanimozhi before the CBI court for the spectrum case on May 6.

His lieutenants are putting up a brave face even as fear continues to stalk them whether she would be rem-anded to custody when she walks into the Patiala House court on Friday.

Ms Kanimozhi left for Delhi on Wednesday for her tryst with the CBI court. Her husband Aravindan and son Aditya went with her. Her mother Rajathi Ammal took the night flight.

The large contingent of the party and the ruling family to be present at the court on Friday and provide moral support would include Kanimozhi’s brother and Union minister M. K. Alagiri, state law minister Duraimurugan, DMK parliamentary party leader T. R. Baalu and state minister Poongothai.

“Alm-ost all party MPs will be there to show solidarity,” said a DMK senior.

Still to recover from the shock of the CBI naming his daughter in the spectrum chargesheet, Mr Karuna-nidhi has been holding continuous parleys with party seniors and legal experts on the political and legal strategies for protecting her.

The DMK camp appears to have gathered some courage after the CBI informed the court on Wednesday that her co-accused and Cineyug films director Karim Morani’s apprehension of custodial interrogation was “misconceived.”

The investigating agency was responding to Mumbai-based Morani’s bail plea.

“Morani too is facing similar charges as Kanimozhi and the CBI has now said it has no intention of taking him into custody for questioning. This has given us fresh hope,” a DMK MP said.

But then he added, “We can see that not a single accused held in custody has managed to get bail till now.”