A senior tax official on Wednesday told the Joint Parliamentray Committee that 19 Kolkata based companies paid Rs. 52 crore to a TV channel in Chennai, co-owned by the wife and daughter of M Karunanidhi. The amount was repaid to the 2G accused Shahid Balwa.

According to CBI, the Channel which claims that the payment was a loan received from DB reality through two other firms, Cineyug and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables is a vital link in 2G scam. The payment is suspected to be part of Rs 200 crore kickback for 2G licences.

Kaniozi’s lawyers said that the 200 crores from Swan was a loan that was returned with interest of Rs. 30 crore.

According to senior members of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the offices of these 19 firms are not traceable and the payment of Rs. 52 crore is being investigated.

"Details of those companies are not available to the CBDT (Central Board of Taxes). Their balance sheets are not available to Income Tax. That's a major lacunae in the returns submitted to the IT dept," the head of the parliamentary committee, P C Chacko, told reporters. He said CBDT and Income Tax department doubt that these companies are "fictitious".