NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday told the special CBI court that ex-telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran had generated funds worth Rs 742.58 crore illegally and there was sufficient prima facie material to proceed against him and others in the Aircel-Maxis deal-related money laundering case. ED’s special prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta argued before CBI special Judge O P Saini that the accused had actively participated in receiving the proceeds of crime through various Mauritius-based entities.
The ED alleged that Dayanidhi had obtained illegal gratification of Rs 742.58 crore and the money was parked in the firms of his brother Kalanithi Maran, a co-accused, by projecting it as untainted. It said that as far as scheduled offence was concerned, the court had already taken cognisance of the CBI’s chargesheet against the two Maran brothers and others in the Aircel-Maxis case.
“The CBI’s chargesheet says about payment of illegal gratification to Dayanidhi Maran,” it said.
The ED added, “By committing the offence as alleged by the CBI in its chargesheet, Dayanidhi Maran had generated funds of Rs 742.58 crore as proceeds of crime as quid-pro-quo. At this stage, there are sufficient prima facie materials to proceed against these accused.”
After hearing the submissions, the court said, “Arguments on the point of cognisance heard. Since records of case are voluminous, put up for further arguments on February 6.”
Besides Dayanidhi, the ED has named Kalanithi, his wife Kavery Kalanithi, K Shanmugam, MD of M/s South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL), and two firms — 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 ED claimed that Kalanithi was controlling both the accused firms, SDTPL and SAFL, where the money was infused through Mauritius-based entities.
funds in kalanithi firms
The ED alleged that Dayanidhi had obtained illegal gratification of Rs 742.58 crore and the money was parked in the firms of his brother Kalanithi Maran, a co-accused, by projecting it as untainted.