Siva accuses Maran of forcing him to sell stake

Probing the allocation of telecom spectrum between 2001 and 2007, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today recorded the statement of Siva group Chairman

C Sivasankaran, who accused Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran of arm-twisting him into selling his shares in Aircel to a Malaysian company. Maran denied the charge.

Sivasankaran’s statement was recorded at an undisclosed location.

CBI has started a preliminary inquiry on directions of the Supreme Court into allotment of telecom licences and spectrum between 2001 and 2007.

Sivasankaran met CBI officials to answer questions related to alleged irregularities in spectrum allocation to Aircel, a telecom company founded by him and later sold to Malaysian firm Maxis.

Maran, a former telecom minister, distanced himself from Sivasankaran and rejected the allegation that he “forced and arm-twisted” Sivasankaran to sell his business. He said he would prove his “innocence” before the appropriate authorities.

Sivasankaran heads the Siva group, a $3-billion conglomerate with operations in real estate, telecom, shipping, energy, agri exports and e-education/software.

Sivasankaran alleged his applications for licences were rejected when Maran was the telecom minister in 2006, forcing him to sell his company to Maxis, whose owner is considered close to Maran and his brother Kalanithi, who owns Sun TV.

Malaysia-based Maxis Communications issued a statement claiming its investment in Aircel was in full compliance with the law.