The Enforcement Directorate submitted before a special court here on Wednesday that charges on the ground of suspicion could be framed in the money laundering case against former Minister for Communications Dayanidhi Maran and others.
Counsel for the Directorate, Anand Grover, made this submission before Special Judge O.P. Saini while initiating arguments in the case.
Mr. Grover alleged that the illegal gratification in the Aircel-Maxis deal was paid to the Minister in the guise of capital contributions to Sun Direct TV Pvt. Ltd. (SDTPL) and South Asia FM Ltd. (SAFL) through two Mauritius-based companies.
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The money laundering case is an offshoot of the corruption case connected with the Aircel-Maxis deal.
The court has been hearing arguments in both cases. Mr. Grover had on Tuesday argued for the CBI in the corruption case. On Thursday, counsel for accused Dayanidhi, his brother and others will make submissions.
The ED alleged that Rs. 742.58 crore was paid for Mr. Dayanidhi Maran by two Mauritius-based companies through SDTPL and SAFL. The two companies are owned and controlled by Kalanithi Maran, and the money was utilised by these companies for their business, the complaint alleged. K. Shanmugam, managing director of SAFL, SDTPL and SAFL, has also been named as accused in the complaint.
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Mr. Dayanidhi Maran obtained the proceeds of crime (Rs. 742.58 crore) by camouflaging it as capital contribution in SDTPL and SAFL and, thus, committed the offence of money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the complaint said.
SDTPL is owned and controlled by Mr. Kalanithi Maran and his wife Kaveri Kalanithi, being the chairman and the director respectively. It received the proceeds of crime, Rs. 549.03 crore for Mr. Dayanidhi Maran in the guise of foreign investment, which was consumed by it in its business, the complaint said.
SAFL received Rs. 193.55 crore for Mr. Dayanidhi Maran by projecting it as capital contribution received by the company. This amount was also consumed by SAFL in its business.
The ED has already attached the assets of Mr. Dayanidhi Maran, Mr. Kalanithi Maran and Ms. Kaveri Kalanithi and other accused equivalent to the proceeds of crime (Rs. 742.58 crore).