Money laundering case registered against Marans
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case against former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation case.
The case, registered on Tuesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), pertains to an alleged illegal gratification of approximately Rs 550 crore allegedly received by the Maran brothers in the Aircel–Maxis deal.
Maran had resigned from the Union Cabinet in 2011 after allegations were made that he had favoured the Malaysian firm Maxis over Aircel in the grant of telecom licences in 2004–05. Maran had denied the allegations.
The CBI is also probing Maran and his brother Sun TV Managing Director Kalanidhi in connection with these allegations.
The agency is also investigating the case for alleged contraventions of foreign exchange rules in this deal as it registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), an equivalent of the First Information Report (FIR).
The agency has also registered another case in the 2G case, pertaining to the NDA regime and has named former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh, then deputy director general J R Gupta and few telecom companies for alleged irregularities in the grant of additional 2G spectrum during 2001–03.
The ED will now record the statements of the individuals named in its ECIR.
Law to follow course: Congress
“We never comment on the actions of any constitutional body or any issue of illegality pending before any court. Naturally law will take its own course in such matters,” said party spokesperson Rashid Alvi, reports DHNS .
