NEW DELHI: There is more trouble for the 2G accused former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran, his businessman brother Kalanidhi and their business partner, the Malaysian billionaire and promoter of Maxis Communications T Ananda Krishnan, as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a money laundering case against them in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case.
Directorate sources said that they will soon summon accused persons to explain the irregularities committed by them. The directorate registered the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) – an equivalent to a FIR – under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), on Tuesday.
The directorate had made a case against Maran’s brothers on the basis of CBI’s allegations that the investments made by Maxis group in their companies Sun TV Networks to the tune of `550 crore were “pay-offs” for help render in acquiring Aircel from the previous owner, C Sivasankaran. When the Aircel-Maxis deal took place in 2006-07 period, Dayanidhi was telecom minister in UPA-I government.
The directorate investigation has also revealed that Maxis violated the 74 per cent FDI cap rules while purchasing Aircel in 2006-07.
It is alleged that Maxis’s group fully owns Aircel’s shares by indirectly controlling other shareholder’s company.