ED files charge sheet against Marans in Aircel-Maxis case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday filed a charge sheet against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and four others for their involvement in laundering of Rs 742.58 crore in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

Kalanithi’s wife Kavery Kalanithi and Managing Director of South Asia FM Limited (SAFL) K Shanmugam are other accused in the case. The ED has listed Sun Direct TV Private Limited (SDTPL) and the SAFL also in the list of the accused.

“The investigation under PMLA was taken up and it revealed that proceeds of crime of Rs 742.58 crore was paid by the companies based in Mauritius for Dayanidhi Maran, in the two companies namely SDTPL and SAFL,” the ED told the special CBI court, which has been conducting trial of all the cases relating to 2G spectrum scam. The court fixed January 18 as date for consideration on charge sheet, asking the ED to submit entire set of documents relating to the case.

Both SDTPL and SAFL were owned and controlled by Kalanithi and the proceeds of the crime (money) was utilised by these two companies in their business, the ED charged.

Submitting the charge sheet, the economic offence investigation agency told the Special CBI Judge O P Saini that issues with regard to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal case was still being investigated. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister in 2006 when the FIPB approval was granted.

“The aspects of ongoing investigation, inter­alia, in this matter are receipt and transfer of funds in and outside India from Aircel Televentures Ltd (ATVL) and Maxis, directly and indirectly to the suspected Indian entities for which this court has issued Letters of Request on December 1, 2015 under Section 57 of PMLA to Singapore and UK for investigation outside India,” the ED stated in a statement after filing of the chargesheet.