Rajathi, Kanimozhi should reveal truth about property deals: Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI - AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa Sunday asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi’s third wife Rajathi and daughter Kanimozhi to come out with the “real truth” about a couple of land deals in Chennai, including one referred to by corporate lobbyist Niira Radia.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said there is a limit to the coincidences as to the people figuring in the two property deals, concerning a prime property on the Anna Salai out of which Tata group’s Voltas functioned, and the Windsor Estate in Kotagiri.

Involved in the deals were businessman Shanmughanathan, who bought both properties, Saravanan, who was the power of attorney-holder of the property at Anna Salai and S. Srinivasam Rathnam, whose name appeared as a witness in the sale of the Windsor Estate and has the same address in Chennai as Rajathi’s auditor.

Referring to the media reports of a tapped conversation between Radia and Rajathi with Rathnam serving as interpreter, Jayalalithaa said as per the talks, Rajathi was unhappy that a property transaction promised by the Tata group had not gone through.

“The conversation specifically mentions Voltas (a Tata group company) as the occupants of the said property in Chennai,” she said, adding that according to documents on the Anna Salai deal, Saravanan sold the property, valued around Rs.350 crore, to Shanmughanathan, the director of Shangkalpam Industries Pvt Ltd, for only Rs.25 crore.

Reports had also linked Saravanan and Shanmughanathan to Rajathi, who had strongly denied it.

In a statement, Rajathi had sought to clarify that Saravanan was a former employee of her furniture showroom, Royal Enterprises but no longer employed by her, and Shanmughanathan is a businessman from Malaysia with whom she had no connection whatsoever.

Citing media reports, Jayalalithaa said the 525.98 acre Windsor Estate was purchased by Shanmughanathan on Dec 16,2006 for a mere Rs.2.47 crore.

The transaction document was witnessed by S. Srinivasa Rathnam of Chennai, she said, adding Rajathis auditor Rathnam is actually the same S.Srinivasa Rathman who operates out of the same address in Chennai.

“Shanmughanathans Voltas land purchase involved Rajathis former employee Saravanan. Shanmughanathans Windsor Estate purchase involved Rajathis present auditor Rathnam. Windsor estate is referred to by locals as Kanimozhi Estate.”

“At least now, will Rajathi and Kanimozhi come out with the real truth?” Jayalalithaa said.

–Indo Asian News Service