SC sees ‘prima facie nexus’ in Aircel-Maxis deal

The Supreme Court today observed the Central Bureau of Investigation's probe into the allegations of wrongdoing in the Aircel-Maxis deal involving former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and a Malaysian business tycoon ''prima facie indicates a nexus''.

The CBI earlier submitted its status report in the deal in the court in two sealed covers and told the bench of justices G S Singhvi and K S Radhakrishnan that the domestic investigation in the case is complete, but the overseas probe was being delayed due to the influence of a ''powerful'' person in Malaysia.

"We have completed the domestic probe and have to complete the investigation about the deal in Malaysia and Mauritius. Letters rogatory have been sent to those countries.

"The gentleman in Malaysia who is involved in it is economically powerful and he is also powerful politically," the agency's counsel K K Venugopal submitted without naming anybody.

Former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran has already been questioned in the case. His ex-secretary Nripendra Mishra had told the CBI that Maran targeted Aircel to benefit his brother's company. Mishra is a key witness for the CBI in its investigations in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

CBI sources had said that SUN TV group owned by Maran's brother Kalanithi benefited to the tune of Rs750 crore because of Dayanidhi's tactics. Aircel founder Shivasankaran had testified before the CBI that Maran virtually forced him to sell his stake in Aircel to the Malaysian Maxis Group in 2006 to benefit Kalanithi.