Pronouncing its order on framing of charges against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanidhi Maran and others in the Aircel-Maxis deal cases lodged by Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a special court on Thursday Feb 02,2017 acquitted them.
The CBI had filed charge sheet against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother and head of Sun TV Network Kalanidhi Maran besides T. Ananda Krishnan, owner of Malaysian company Maxis, Ralph Marshall, a senior executive of the Maxis Group, and four companies, including the Sun Direct TV Pvt. Ltd.
The case’s genesis lies in a complaint filed by Aircel owner C. Sivasankaran alleging that he was pressurised to sell his stakes to Maxis. It is later alleged that the Maxis Group, which bought a 74% stake in Aircel in March 2006, invested Rs742 crore in Sun Direct between 2007 and 2009.
In the money laundering case, ED has chargesheeted the Maran brothers, Kalanithi's wife Kavery, Managing Director of South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL) K Shanmugam, SAFL and Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Besides Maran brothers, the court discharged two companies - M/s Sun Direct TV (P) Ltd (SDTPL) and M/s South Asia Entertainment Holdings Ltd.
During arguments on framing of charges, Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover had claimed that Dayanidhi had "pressurised" Chennai-based telecom promoter C Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in Aircel and two subsidiary firms to Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006.
The charge was strongly refuted by Dayanidhi. All the accused had denied the allegations against them made by the investigating agencies and had moved bail pleas.
All You Need To Know About Aircel-Maxis Case
All You Need To Know About Aircel-Maxis Case
The Aircel-Maxis controversy has its roots in the infamous 2G spectrum scam.
The SC had asked the CBI to investigate Dayanidhi Maran who was the telecom minister before A Raja.
Maran had to resign from the Union Cabinet in April 2011.
Aircel is a telecom company owned by C Sivasankaran.
Maxis is a Malaysian company owned by t Ananda Krishnan.
In 2006, Maxis acquired Aircel by buying 74% stake.
In April 2011, Sivasankaran complained to the CBI that Maran had arm twisted hi to sell his stake to Maxis.
In October 2011, the CBI filed an FIR against Maran that alleged that he received Rs 549 crore for favouring Aircel in various deals that were owned by maxis.
The amount was allegedly received by a company owned by Dayanidhi Maran's brother, Kalanidhi Maran, who controls the Sun TV network.
The CBI FIR accuses the Maran brothers of quid pro quo for facilitating the deal for maxis.
According to the FIR, the media company Astro -- belonging to the maxis group -- had invested around Rs 600 crore (Rs 6 billion) in a Sun Network venture in 2007.
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