The Maran brothers approached the Supreme Court on Friday to pre-empt any adversary order against them on the basis a provisional assets attachment order issued under PMLA by the Enforcement Directorate in the Aircel-Maxis case. An adjudicatory body will hear the brothers — Sun group chief Kalanithi Maran and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran — later in the day.
The ED had on April 1, 2015 attached assets estimated at Rs. 742.58 crore held by the former Telecom Minister, Mr. Kalanithi Maran and his wife Kaveri Kalanithi in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.
The ED is conducting an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, based on Central Bureau of Investigation findings that Mr. Dayanidhi Maran had allegedly received illegal gratification for the said sum from Maxis. Immovable assets estimated at Rs. 266 crore owned by Sun Network; property valued at Rs. 171.55 crore owned by Kal Comm.; Sun Direct TV (SDTPL) shares amounting to Rs. 139 crore held by Mr. Kalanithi Maran; and Rs. 100 crore in fixed deposits and Rs. 2.78 crore in mutual fund investments by him were attached.
