Aircel-Maxis deal: CBI seeks arrest warrant against accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday requested a special court hearing the Aircel-Maxis case to issue arrest warrants against four accused, including Malaysian businessman T.A. Ananda Krishnan.

The CBI told Special Judge O.P. Saini that the service reports regarding summons issued against four Malaysia-based accused are still awaited.

"In view of the said facts, it is apparent that adequate time may be consumed for getting the service of summons executed on the absent accused persons," the CBI said in its application.

"It is humbly prayed that warrant of arrest may be issued in respect of the following accused persons so that the coercive method may be used to bring the accused person before this court to face the trial of the case," the CBI prayed before the court.

Krishnan, Augustus Ralph Marshall and two accused firms, Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and Astro All Asia Networks were first summoned by the court on October 29, 2014.

Later, the court issued fresh summons thrice on March 2 2015, August 3, 2015, and December 7, 2015, against the four accused persons but they did not appear before the court.

The CBI told the court that several attempts were made to serve summons to the Malaysia-based accused but the summons did not reach them.

The CBI apprised the court that it has followed the procedure under India's Bilateral treaty with Malaysia to serve summons but the service report was still awaited.

On March 4, the High Commission Of India in Malaysia forwarded the summons to Malaysian Attorney General's office and Malaysian Ministry of foreign affairs to serve the summons to the accused, the CBI informed the court.

Meanwhile, the CBI also requested the court to go ahead with the judicial procedure against former minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and Chennai-based firm Sun Direct TV as there was enough evidence against them.

The court listed the matter for August 27 for further hearing.

The agency has alleged that Dayanidhi Maran used his influence to help Krishnan buy Aircel by coercing its owner 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 further alleged, the company made investments through Astro Network in a company stated to be owned by the Maran family.

--IANS

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