DB Realty hits record low after reports of CBI probe

DB Realty slumped by over 8 per cent to a lifetime low on the BSE on Friday, hit by a media report that the CBI is scrutinising the transfer of over Rs 200 crore by the company to Kalaignar TV in FY2009-10, which came to light during investigations into the allocation of 2G spectrum.

According to the newspaper report, Rs 214 crore was transferred by DB Realty to Kalaignar TV, which is a broadcaster majority-owned by family members of DMK party chief M Karunanidhi, by way of two other companies in the 2009-10 fiscal.

As per the report, the funds were used for an entity called Cineyug to pick an over 30 per cent stake in the TV channel.

Reacting to the reports, shares of the Mumbai-based realty firm plummeted by 8.23 per cent to an all-time low of Rs 142.65 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange .

Investigating agencies are interested in the transaction, because the telecom arm of the company figures among the companies that bagged 2G licences in 2008, allegedly at throwaway prices, the report added.

The DB group's telecom arm later sold its 45 per cent stake to UAE-based Etisalat for USD 900 million in 2009. The company, earlier known as Swan Telecom, is now known as Etisalat-DB.

Meanwhile, the BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 40.40 points higher, at 18,489.71, at 10.54 hours.