ED issues notices to Marans, others

Aircel-Maxis deal n ‘Process of attaching properties in next two-three weeks’.

The enforcement directorate (ED) has issued notices to former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran, CMD of the Sun Group, along with other accused in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case.

Sources told The Indian Express that the “process of attaching properties worth over Rs 600 crore of the Maran brothers and Sun Direct Pvt Ltd in the next two-three weeks”. The sources added that if the worth of properties seized falls short of the amount stated above, the ED is likely to attach other business interests of the two brothers.

The notices, the sources said, have been sent under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and for the time being, the ED is probing only Indian nationals and companies. “Later, we will probe and prosecute foreign nationals and companies involved in the Aircel-Maxis case,” the sources added.

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On Wednesday, a special court trying the 2G spectrum case issued summons to former the Maran brothers and six others in the Aircel-Maxis case. The accused have been summoned on March 2, 2015, to enable the CBI to serve the summons as five of them live overseas.

“I have carefully gone through the copy of the FIR, charge sheet, statement of witnesses and related documents comprised in the voluminous record of the case. On perusal of the record, I am satisfied that there is enough incriminating material on record to proceed against the accused. Accordingly, I take cognisance of the case,” the order said. The court had on October 13 reserved an order on taking cognisance of the charge sheet after hearing the prosecution.

The CBI chargesheet has named Malaysian business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan, Malaysian national Augustus Ralph Marshall and four firms — Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd, Maxis Communication Berhad, Astro All Asia Network PLC and South Asia Entertainment Holding Ltd — as accused besides the Maran brothers.

It has alleged that Dayanidhi had “pressured” and “forced” Chennai-based telecom promoter C Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in Aircel and two subsidiary firms to Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006.