Aircel-Maxis deal case: CBI chargesheets Maran brothers

Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanidhi Maran and six others were today chargesheeted before the special 2G court in the Aircel-Maxis deal case by the CBI which is probing the money trail of around Rs 600 crore allegedly used as bribe.
Besides the Maran brothers, the CBI has named Malaysian business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan, Malaysian national Ralph Marshall and four firms, including Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd and Malaysia's Maxis Communication Berhad, as accused in the case.
They have been chargesheeted for the offences punishable under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The charge sheet was filed before Special CBI Judge O P Saini who fixed it for consideration on September 11.
According to CBI sources, Dayanidhi Maran, during his tenure as Telecom Minister from February 2004 to May, 2007, had allegedly abused his official position and showed undue favour to Ananda Krishnan-owned company in lieu of which the business tycoon bought equity subscription shares of Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd and accused firm South Asia Entertainment Holding Ltd which were managed by the Marans.
The sources said that in the garb of investment in equity subscription shares, "illegal gratification" of around Rs 600 crore was given to the Marans.

Besides these accused, Ex-Telecom Secretary J S Sharma, who has died, has also been named in the CBI's charge sheet. However, his name has been put in a column of the accused against whom trial cannot proceed.

One of the four companies chargesheeted by CBI is ASTRO All Asia Network PLC.
The charge sheet was filed a day after the Supreme Court turned down the plea of Dayanidhi Maran seeking to restrain CBI from filing the charge sheet, saying that investigation in the case is still going on.
CBI, in the Supreme Court, had alleged that Maran had "forced" Chennai-based telecom promoter C Sivasankaran to sell the stake in Aircel to Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006 owned by Ananda Krishnan.