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Aircel case: ED set to attach Dayanidhi Maran's assets worth Rs 742 crore [India] [Times of India](Times of India Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) NEW DELHI: Probing money laundering charges in the Aircel-Maxis case, Enforcement Directorate will soon attach properties worth over Rs 742 crore belonging to former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his family members and associates. "The attachment of properties related to proceeds of crime allegedly received by Maran brothers and associates will be done shortly under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act," a source said. The attachment will equal the amount allegedly received as bribe by the Maran brothers as claimed by the CBI in its chargesheet, the source added. In its chargesheet in the Aircel-Maxis case, CBI has accused the Maran brothers of having received Rs 742 crore as quid pro quo after then telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran "coerced entrepreneur C Sivasankaran to sell his telecom company Aircel to Malaysia-based Maxis". ED had earlier issued showcause notices for Rs 1,767 crore in the case. CBI nailed the Marans on the basis of financial transactions of Maxis Communications. A UK-based subsidiary of Maxis had purchased shares at premium in Sun Direct Pvt Ltd, owned by the Marans, worth Rs 629 crore. "Any additional attachment of properties will depend on information ED receives from Malaysia and Mauritius," sources said. ED is likely to send fresh letters rogatory (LRs) to Mauritius and Malaysia seeking information on entities related to Aircel and Maxis. Earlier, the two countries had denied sharing any financial transactions of the entities accused in the case citing non-criminality. "Now that criminality has been proved in the CBI chargesheet, the facts will be incorporated in ED's fresh LRs from the CBI's chargesheet against accused entities and the LRs will be sent to Mauritius and Malaysia seeking details of financial transactions," sources said. (Former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran) ED is also trailing another top former UPA minister whose role is being probed for speedy approval of foreign direct investment in the Aircel-Maxis deal. The investigation is being carried out under the Supreme Court's supervision. It was the apex court which had forced a reluctant CBI to file chargesheet against the Maran brothers in the case. The first and only attachment of property made by ED so far in the 2G case was in 2011 when the agency attached bank accounts and properties of five companies that had allegedly bribed Rs 200 crore to DMK-family owned Kalaignar TV for allocation of 2G spectrum. (c) 2014 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited |