Maxis-Aircel case: Madras HC dismisses Sun TV's petition against ED order

ED had attached Marans' assets worth Rs 742 cr in the Aircel-Maxis case

The high court here has dismissed a petition filed by Kalanithi Maran’s Sun TV Network against an Enforcement Directorate (ED) order that had attached the company’s properties in the Maxis-Aircel case, on a money laundering charge.

On Wednesday, judge M Sathyanarayanan said the petition was not maintainable as the money laundering matters in the case are under the Supreme Court’s consideration. He accepted the ED’s contention, argued by Union additional solicitor-general G Rajagopalan, on the apex court’s orders of early 2011 that no other court shall pass any orders which might impede the ongoing investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED. And, that the petitioners (Sun TV Network and Kal Communication) could approach the SC.

Counsels Kapil Sibal and P S Raman, who appeared for Sun TV, argued the company was not one of those accused in the case pending with the SC. Raman also argued the alleged illegal gratification was for Rs 742 crore but the market value of the properties in MRC Nagar and Boat Club Road attached by the ED were estimated to be over Rs 1,000 crore.

Sun TV Network’s petition had said the properties attached were in no way connected with the alleged crime and were purchased before it.

The ED had on March 31 issued an order to attach assets worth Rs 742.6 crore belonging to former Union telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, brother Kalanithi Maran and the latter’s wife, Kaveri Kalanithi, in the Aircel-Maxis case.

The properties attached include Kalanithi Maran’s shares worth Rs 139 crore in Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd, freehold land and building owned by Sun Network TV Pvt Ltd worth Rs 266 crore, land and building owned by Kal Comm Pvt Ltd worth Rs 171.55 crore, a fixed deposit held by Kalanithi Maran of Rs 100 crore, an FD held by South Asia FM Ltd worth Rs 31.34 crore, FDs held by Dayanidhi Maran and others worth Rs 7.47 crore, and FDs and mutual funds held by Kaveri Kalanithi worth Rs 1.30 crore and Rs 1.78 crore each.

In 2011, the CBI had filed a chargesheet against the Maran brothers, Malaysian businessman T Ananthakrishnan and Maxis Communications, a company then promoted by Ananthakrishnan, Sun Direct TV and Astro All Asia Networks, among others.
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• ED had issued an order to attach assets worth Rs 742.6 cr belonging to former Union telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, brother Kalanithi Maran (pictured) and the latter’s wife, Kaveri Kalanithi
• Properties attached include Kalanithi Maran’s shares worth Rs 139 cr in Sun Direct TV, freehold land and building owned by Sun Network worth Rs 266 cr and land and building owned by Kal Comm worth Rs 171.55 cr, among others