CBI gets assurance from Malaysian AG in Aircel Maxis case

A team of CBI officials has just returned from Kuala Lumpur after meeting Malaysian Attorney General who assured them to furnish information sought by the agency through its letters rogatory as soon as possible, agency sources said.

During its meeting, the team which included Special Director V K Gupta and DIG Sanjay Palsania told the Attorney General about the importance of the case and that it is being monitored by Supreme Court of the country, they said.

They said he was also informed that the then Telecom Minister is also named as an accused in the case and a quick processing letters rogatory would help the agency in completing investigations in the case.

The agency intended to know some financial transactions that had taken place from Maxis company besides recording the statement of an non-executive Director of the company who has been named in the FIR filed by CBI in October last year.

Former Aircel Chief C Sivasankaran had alleged Maran as the then Telecom Minister had favoured Maxis group in the takeover of his company and return investments were made by it through Astro network in Sun TV-owned by the Maran family.

Both Maran and Maxis group have denied any wrong doing and the Malaysian company had even said it was surprised over the CBI action despite all clarifications provided during the initial phase of the probe.

CBI had filed a case against Maran, his brother Kalanithi, Chairman of Maxis Communication T Ananda Krishnan, senior executive of Astro All Asia Network and Maxis Ralph Marshall in connection with the controversial Aircel-Maxis deal, alleging the former Telecom Minister had received Rs 547 crore as kickbacks from the Malaysian company.