The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate plan to move the Delhi High Court challenging a lower court order earlier this month discharging former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and the latter’s wife Kaveri Kalanithi from bribery and money laundering charges in the Aircel-Maxis deal.
The 2G scam special court said no prima facie case warranting framing of charges was made out against any of the accused.
Thereafter, the CBI and the ED sought legal opinion on whether there were enough grounds to go for an appeal. Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover also moved a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the lower court’s order to release the properties worth ₹742.58 crore attached by the Directorate in the case. However, he later withdrew the petition. It is learnt that, based on the legal opinion, the CBI now plans to move the High Court against the lower court’s order. The agency has approached an Additional Solicitor General to present its case. Having received the legal opinion, the Directorate is also preparing for an appeal.
While rejecting the CBI’s charge sheet, the special court had also dismissed the money laundering case stating that for the charge to stand, the pre-requisite was to prove that there was a crime, resulting in the proceeds thereof.
In its charge sheet, the CBI had alleged that the former Minister conspired with T. Ananda Krishnan, the owner of Malaysian firm Maxis, and forced Aircel owner Chinnakannan Sivasankaran into selling all his shares to the former. The agency alleged that the then Minister delayed issuance of mobile service licence for the same purpose.
According to the CBI, it was done purportedly in lieu of bribes paid in the form of investments by the foreign company, via another firm, into Sun Direct TV Pvt. Ltd. (SDTPL) and South Asia FM Limited (SAFL) promoted by Mr. Kalanithi Maran.
