ED catches up with Maran bros in Aircel-Maxis case

ED catches up with Maran bros in Aircel-Maxis case

FPJ BureauUpdated: Friday, May 31, 2019, 07:16 PM IST
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The charge sheet alleged that proceeds of crime worth Rs 742.58 crore was paid by the Mauritius-based companies for Dayanidhi in the two firms, SDTPL and SAFL

New Delhi : Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and four others were on Friday chargesheeted by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a special court in the Aircel-Maxis deal-related money laundering case.

ED named Dayanidhi, Kalanithi, his wife Kavery Kalanithi, K Shanmugam, Managing Director of M/s South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL), and two companies — M/s Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) and SAFL — as accused in the case filed under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The probe agency also told the court that further investigation relating to FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal and related issues are subject of further investigations under the PMLA. The approval was given when P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister in 2006, reports PTI.

“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,” it said in a press note after the filing of the charge sheet.

The charge sheet alleged that proceeds of crime worth Rs 742.58 crore was paid by the Mauritius-based compa   nies for Dayanidhi in the two firms, SDTPL and SAFL.”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,” it said.

The ED alleged that the two firms were owned and controlled by Kalanithi and the money had been utilised by the companies in their business.

The charge sheet was filed before Special CBI Judge O P Saini who fixed it for consideration on January 18. ED said it had attached assets held by Dayanidhi, Kalanithi, Kavery and others equivalent to amount of proceeds of crime of Rs 742.58 crore under the PMLA.

It also claimed that Dayanidhi had obtained Rs 742.58 crore through companies of his relatives by “camouflaging the proceeds of crime as capital contribution in SDTPL and SAFL” and committed the offence of money laundering in receiving the amount in the companies owned and controlled by his brother Kalanithi and sister-in-law Kavery.

Detailing the roles of the accused, the agency said their probe has revealed that promoters of SDTPL are Kalanithi and Kavery who were holding 80 per cent shares of the firm.

“SDTPL is owned and controlled by Kalanithi Maran and Kavery Kalanithi being shareholders and in the Board of Directors as Chairman and Director respectively,” it said.

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