Kalanithi denies CBI claim of pressurising telecom promoter

Businessman Kalanithi Maran today told a special court that CBI's claim that he had pressurised a Chennai-based telecom promoter to sell his stakes in Aircel to Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006, was false and the complainant was himself eager for the business.
While arguing on framing of charges against him in the Aircel-Maxis case, the accused told the Special Judge O P Saini that he was falsely implicated in the case.
"C Sivasankaran's (complainant) claim that he was forced to sell his stakes is nothing but a tissue of lies. This is just a false implication. We cannot fight political battle through legal means...

"It was Sivasankaran who was keen to do business as quick as possible. Maran did not force him to sell his stake and it was Sivasankaran who was pressurising Maxim to do the deal with it, which was done to maximise his own profit," senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Maran said.
On October 20, Maran's brother and former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran had also refuted CBI's claim that he had pressurised Sivasankaran in the deal.
CBI has claimed that Maran brothers had pressurised Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in Aircel and two subsidiary firms to Maxis Group.

The agency had also alleged that the accused had forced Sivasankaran to sell his three companies to Malaysia's Maxis Communication Berhad, also an accused in the case.

The arguments on the point of framing charges remained inconclusive.
CBI had filed charge sheet against the Maran brothers, Ralph Marshall, T Ananda Krishnan, M/s Sun Direct TV (P) Ltd, M/s Astro All Asia Networks Plc, UK, M/s Maxis Communications Berhad, Malaysia, and M/s South Asia Entertainment Holdings Ltd, Malaysia and then Additional Secretary(Telecommunication) late Dr J S Sarma.
They were chargesheeted for the offences punishable under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court had on September 24, issued open warrants of arrest against Krishnan and Marshall on CBI's plea stating that summons issued to them could not be served.

While arguing on the issue of framing of charges against
him, Dayanidhi had claimed that during the time period in which the alleged crime was committed, as claimed by CBI, Sivasankaran was in talks with several companies to sell his stakes in Aircel.
It was only in October 2005, that the business transaction between Aircel and Maxis was finalised, his counsel had said.
His brother Kalanithi had also argued that CBI's claim was false and the complainant was himself eager for the business and that he was being falsely implicated in the case.
The court had on September 24, 2016, issued open warrants of arrest against Krishnan and Marshall on CBI's plea stating that summons issued to them could not be served.

It had also ordered that the trial against Maran brothers and two accused companies be segregated from that of those based in Malaysia -- Krishnan, Marshall, and two firms, Astro All Asia Network PLC and Maxis Communication Berhad, saying their appearance may take a long time which may lead to a delay in the proceedings.
During the arguments earlier, ED's special prosecutor N K Matta had claimed that there were money transactions which allegedly showed that SDTPL and SAFL had received Rs 742.58 crore as "proceeds of crime" from Mauritius-based firms in the Aircel-Maxis deal.
The agency had claimed that "proceeds of crime" amounting to Rs 549.03 crore and Rs 193.55 crore were received by SDTPL and SAFL, allegedly controlled by co-accused Kalanithi, through various Mauritius-based entities.

ED had earlier alleged before the court that Dayanidhi had generated funds worth Rs 742.58 crore through illegal means and there was sufficient prima facie material to proceed against him and other accused in the case.
It had then alleged that Dayanidhi had obtained "illegal gratification" of Rs 742.58 crore and the money was "parked" in the firms of Kalanithi by projecting it as untainted.
ED had also claimed that Kalanithi was controlling both SDTPL and SAFL, where the money was infused through Mauritius-based companies.