Aircel-Maxis: SC raps prosecution on their move against 2G court

The prosecution's attempt to restrain the special 2G court from releasing the attached properties and execution of bail bond of Maran brothers – Dayanidhi and Kalanithi – after their discharge in the Rs 742.58 crore Aircel-Maxis deal cases on Friday met with probing questions from the Supreme Court. A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar was not in an agreement with the grounds taken by senior advocate Anand Grover, who was appointed by the apex court as SPP, to lead the prosecution on behalf of CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, saying that the discharge of the accused made it clear that this case was not of money laundering as alleged by ED.

"The simple logic is that this money (Rs 742.58 crore), considered to be that of laundering, is not found to be that of the proceeds of the crime," the bench, also comprising Justices N V Ramana and D Y Chandrachud, said during the hearing in which the SPP was also told that he has not cured many of the defects in the plea which was raised in the morning. However, when Grover tried to press for the relief in the absence of proper appeal filed either by CBI or ED, the bench said as per the special court's order, this money was not a "part of the crime" alleged against the accused and this being so, then "there was no money laundering".