CBI’s allegations on Aircel-Maxis deal prima facie indicate nexus: SC
8 Nov 2012 7:41 AM IST
The CBI told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it has completed domestic investigation in the Aircel-Maxis deal case, in which former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran is under scanner, but the overseas probe has got delayed because of a politically and financially powerful person.
CBI counsel K K Venugopal told the court that CBI has completed the domestic probe and have to complete the investigation about the deal in Malaysia and Mauritius and Letters Rogatory have been sent to those countries.
Maran has been accused of arm-twisting businessman C Sivasankaran to sell the stake in Aircel to a Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006 owned by Kuala Lumpur-based business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan. Perusing the two reports of CBI in a sealed cover, the bench said, ‘The allegations levelled and investigations prima facie indicate a nexus. Venugopal said that overseas probe was important to track the money trail as the funds for the deal had come through Mauritius.’
The bench also said if there was any effort by the powerful or the influential or if the CBI was working under any influence then that must be stopped.
The CBI in July 2011 had placed a status report in the court stating that during 2004-07 when Maran was telecom Minister, Sivasankaran was coerced to sell the stake in Aircel to Maxis Group. The report had said that the Malaysian firm was favoured by Maran and was granted licence within six months after taking over Aircel in December 2006.
CBI counsel K K Venugopal told the court that CBI has completed the domestic probe and have to complete the investigation about the deal in Malaysia and Mauritius and Letters Rogatory have been sent to those countries.
Maran has been accused of arm-twisting businessman C Sivasankaran to sell the stake in Aircel to a Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006 owned by Kuala Lumpur-based business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan. Perusing the two reports of CBI in a sealed cover, the bench said, ‘The allegations levelled and investigations prima facie indicate a nexus. Venugopal said that overseas probe was important to track the money trail as the funds for the deal had come through Mauritius.’
The bench also said if there was any effort by the powerful or the influential or if the CBI was working under any influence then that must be stopped.
The CBI in July 2011 had placed a status report in the court stating that during 2004-07 when Maran was telecom Minister, Sivasankaran was coerced to sell the stake in Aircel to Maxis Group. The report had said that the Malaysian firm was favoured by Maran and was granted licence within six months after taking over Aircel in December 2006.
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