Aircel-Maxis deal case: CBI chargesheets Maran brothers

PTI Updated - March 12, 2018 at 09:21 PM.

Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran (file photo).

Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanidhi Maran and six others, including four companies, were today chargesheeted by the CBI in a special court in the Aircel—Maxis deal case arising out of the investigation in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Besides the Maran brothers, the CBI has named Malaysian business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan, Ralph Marshall, a top executive and four companies, including Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd and Malaysia’s Maxis Communication Berhad, as accused in the case.

They have been chargesheeted for the offences punishable under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The chargesheet was filed before Special CBI Judge O P Saini who fixed it for consideration on September 11.

Former Telecom Secretary J S Sharma, who has died, has also been named in the charge sheet. However, his name has been put in a column of the accused against whom trial cannot proceed.

South Asia Entertainment Holding Ltd, Mauritius, and ASTRO All Asia Network plc have also been named as accused in the charge sheet.

It was filed a day after the Supreme Court turned down the plea of Dayanidhi Maran seeking to restrain CBI from filing the charge sheet, saying that investigation in the case is still going on.

CBI, in the Supreme Court, had alleged that Maran had “forced” Chennai—based telecom promoter C Sivasankaran to sell the stake in Aircel to Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006 owned by Ananda Krishnan.

Published on August 29, 2014 10:56