Aircel-Maxis charges to be framed on Dec 22

A court here on Monday decided to frame charges on Thursday against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and others in the Aircel-Maxis case.

Special Judge O.P. Saini postponed the order to December 22, saying that it was not ready as the documents were voluminous in nature.

The court would also pronounce its order on the bail plea of Dayanidhi Maran, his brother and businessman Kalanithi Maran, and others accused in the case on the next date of hearing.

The CBI has chargesheeted the Maran brothers and Chennai-based firm Sun Direct TV, Malaysian businessman T.A. Ananda Krishnan, Augustus Ralph Marshall and the two accused firms -- Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and Astro All Asia Networks.

The chargesheet alleged that Dayanidhi Maran used his influence to help Krishnan buy Aircel by coercing its owner, C. Sivasankaran, to part with his stake.

It was alleged by Sivasankaran that Dayanidhi Maran favoured the Maxis Group in the takeover of his company.

In return, he alleged, the company made investments through Astro Network in a company stated to be owned by the Maran family.

The chargesheet was filed under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In the other case, the Enforcement Directorate chargesheeted the Maran brothers, Kalanithi's wife Kavery Kalanithi and South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL) Managing Director K. Shanmugam and two companies -- SAFL and Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) -- for laundering Rs 742.58 crore.

--IANS

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