ED grills Dayanadhi, Kalanithi Maran over Aircel-Maxis deal
11 Dec 2014
Unrelenting about the money laundering angle of the Aircel-Maxis telecom spectrum deal, the Enforcement Directorate has recently questioned the brothers Dayanidhi and Kalanithi Maran in pursuit of a criminal case against them.
According to PTI, the investigators early this week recorded the statements of Dayanidhi Maran, a former telecom minister, and his businessman brother Kalanithi Maran after they were issued notices in October this year.
''Both the Marans have been questioned and their statements recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. They could be summoned again,'' PTI's sources said.
The duo were questioned about their personal and official financial dealings and on specific charges related to the deal. Some documents submitted by them are being scrutinised, they said.
Officials said the fresh questioning of the Marans was essential as the ED is expected to issue an attachment order for seizing of assets of an estimated value of over Rs700 crore in this case and all questions regarding criminal actions had to be answered by those involved and booked, they said.
Other executives involved in the deal are also now being questioned, they said.
The ED is probing the case based on charges filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Besides the Maran brothers, the CBI has named Malaysian business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan, Malaysian national Augustus Ralph Marshall and four firms - Sun Direct TV, Maxis Communication Berhad, Astro All Asia Network and South Asia Entertainment Holding - as accused.
The CBI has charged them with the offences punishable under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The CBI had alleged in the court that Dayanidhi Maran had ''pressured'' and ''forced'' Chennai-based telecom promoter C. Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in Aircel and two subsidiary firms to Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006.
The Enforcement Directorate's money laundering case is based on these charges.
