In a note to the CVC, the CBI has alleged that DMKs Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam is making use of the Income Tax Department under him to pressurise the witnesses to retract the statements they have given to the agency as also before the special trial court here against Kanimozhi S S Palanimanickam

OUR BUREAU New Delhi

In yet another major embarrassment to the Government on the 2G scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation has approached the Central Vigilance Commission ( CVC) with a complaint against DMKs Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam scaring its witnesses.

In a note to the CVC, who is empowered by the Supreme Court to monitor the 2G probe, the CBI has alleged that the minister is making use of the Income Tax Department under him to pressurise the witnesses to retract the statements they have given to the agency as also before the special trial court here against party patriarch Karunanidhis MP daughter Kanimozhi, who is on bail in the case.

The agency has complained about the alleged " back stabbing" and " dirty tricks" by certain Income Tax officials to derail the 2G case on the alleged instructions of the minister. Palanimanickam is alleged to be giving verbal orders to senior officers in the investigation division of the Income Tax Department to carry out raids and issue notices to the relatives of the crucial witnesses in the scam.

The CBI has identified 10 witnesses being forced through this tactic.

The IT officers involved in the alleged diktats of the minister are from Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and the CBIs worry is that these are the same officers the agency wanted to probe the money trail and illegal wealth of the jailed former telecom minister A Raja and his close relatives.

Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, who has emerged as the prime 2G crusader, says he has already written to both the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to immediately change the portfolio of Palanimanickam since is he a trusted lieutenant of Karunanidhi prepared to do anything to rescue his daughter Kanimozhi embroiled in the scam.