Forrmer Union Telecom Minster and DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran on Monday, challenged the jurisdiction of the Special CBI Court over the Aircel-Maxis deal case in which they are entangled. The Special CBI Judge O.P Saini directed the CBI to file its replies on August 3, to the separate petitions of the Maran brothers.
Fresh summons were also issued to Malaysian business tycoons T. Ananda Krishnan and Augustus
Ralph Marshall. And, the lawyers appearing for the CBI pleaded for at least three months to issue these summons since they would have to take the diplomatic route.
The Maran brothers are facing charges of criminal conspiracy under the IPC as well as the prevention of corruption act. The CBI has alleged that they had pressured and forced the Chennai-based promoter C. Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in Aircel as well as two subsidiary firms to the Maxis Group in 2006.
The CBI had first filed the charge-sheet in August last year. It had named 151 prosecution witness and had 655 supporting documents.
Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd, Maxis Communication, Berhad, South Asia Entertainment Holding Ltd and Astro All Asia Network PLC are also named as accused in the case.
