A Delhi court on Saturday reserved order on applications by former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanidhi Maran and others challenging its jurisdiction to hear a money-laundering case against them connected with the Aircel-Maxis deal, arguing that the court was designated only to hear the 2G cases.
The court had summoned them in the case in February after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate in January. Special Judge O.P. Saini reserved the order for September 6.
They have also moved bail applications in the case. The agency has opposed their bail pleas. Opposing their bail applications, the Directorate through its Assistant Director Kamal Singh said that “possibility of hampering the investigation and tampering with the evidence by the applicants may not be ruled out…’’ “The bail applications deserves to be rejected and the question of imposition of conditions does not even arise,’’ the ED said.
While taking cognisance of the complaint, the Judge had said that he was satisfied on perusal of the material on record that there was enough material to proceed against the accused persons.
The complaint is a spin-off of the corruption case lodged by the CBI in the Aircel-Maxis deal.
The complaint alleged that Rs. 742.85 crore was paid for Mr. Dayanidhi Maran by two Mauritius-based companies through Sun Direct TV Pvt. Ltd (SDTPL) and South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL).
The two companies are owned and controlled by Mr. Kalanidhi Maran, and the money was utilised by these companies for their business, the complaint alleged.
K. Shanmugam, MD of SAFL, SDTPL and SAFL, has also been named as accused in the complaint. He has also moved for bail.
