Karunanidhi meets Sonia Gandhi, Law Minister

On a crucial day in court for his daughter, in jail for the telecom scam, M Karunanidhi is meeting with Sonia Gandhi, the President of the UPA. Mr Karunanidhi's party, the DMK, describes the appointment at 11 am as "a courtesy call" - the southern leader wants to enquire about Mrs Gandhi's health. She returned a few weeks ago to Delhi after an operation in the United States. But this is the first time that the DMK chief is meeting with Mrs Gandhi since his daughter was arrested in May.

This morning, a Delhi court will decide if the CBI has made a strong enough case against Mr Karunanidhi's daughter, Kanimozhi, to merit her trial on corruption charges. Along with 16 others, Kanimozhi has been accused of playing a key role in the telecom scam that was allegedly masterminded by DMK leader A Raja, who is also in jail.

Sources say that Mr Karunanidhi, who flew into Delhi from Chennai yesterday, met with Law Minister Salman Khursheed at a five-star hotel last night. The DMK chief is expected to meet his daughter at 4 pm today, most likely at Tihar Jail, where she has been staying since her arrest in May. Mr Karunanidhi has visited her here earlier, and is known to have broken down while talking to his child.
 
Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha MP, recently applied a third time for bail. Considerable controversy was generated after the media reported that the CBI had indicated that this time around, it would not oppose her bail. Kanimozhi's lawyers say because she is a woman and has to look after her young son, she should be allowed to return home.

The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the CBI's investigation, reacted sharply to these reports, suggesting that if the CBI wants to release those jailed for the telecom scam, it should clearly say so.

The swindle was conducted in 2008, when A Raja was Telecom Minister and bestowed sweetheart deals upon companies he allegedly conspired with to gyp the country of millions. Mr Raja gave mobile network licenses with spectrum at throwaway prices to firms that were ineligible, according to the CBI.  Like Mr Raja, the executives of those companies have been arrested.

Kanimozhi stands accused of allowing a TV channel partly owned by her in Chennai to serve as the resting place for a massive kickback to Mr Raja from Swan Telecom. She has denied the charges.

Her arrest has tested the political collaboration between the DMK and the Congress. The parties contested the Tamil Nadu elections together earlier this year, with disastrous consequences. The DMK delivered one of its worst performances ever. Mr Karunanidhi has repeatedly stressed that his party is not about to pull out of the UPA coalition at the Centre - where it brings the considerable might of 16 Lok Sabha MPs. But privately, sources close to him say, he is upset with the CBI's investigation and feels the agency has singled out his daughter unfairly.