Aircel-Maxis deal: Chargesheet filed against Marans by ED

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday filed a chargesheet against former communications minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and four others in the Aircel-Maxis deal case. The Aircel-Maxis deal had taken place during Dayanidhi Maran’s tenure in the Sanchar Bhawan.

The agency named Dayanidhi, Kalanithi, his wife Kavery Kalanithi, K. Shanmugam, managing director of M/s South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL), and two companies — M/s Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) and SAFL — as accused in the chargesheet filed before the special 2G court here. The court has fixed the chargesheet for consideration on January 18 and asked the agency to place before it the entire set of documents pertaining to the case.

The ED in its probe report has alleged that proceeds of crime worth Rs 742.58 crore was paid by the Mauritius-based companies for Dayanidhi in the two firms, SDTPL and SAFL. “The investigation under PMLA was taken up and it revealed that proceeds of crime of Rs 742.58 crore was paid by the companies based in Mauritius for Dayanidhi Maran, in the two companies namely SDTPL and SAFL,” said the agency in a press note. It has also alleged that the two firms were owned and controlled by Kalanithi and the money had been utilised by the companies in their business.

ED said it had attached assets held by Dayanidhi, Kalanithi, Kavery and others equivalent to amount of proceeds of crime of Rs 742.58 crore under the PMLA. The agency also claimed that Dayanidhi had obtained Rs 742.58 crore through companies of his relatives by “camouflaging the proceeds of crime as capital contribution in SDTPL and SAFL” and committed the offence of money laundering in receiving the amount in the companies owned and controlled by his brother Kalanithi and sister-in-law Kavery. While detailing the roles of the accused, the agency said their probe has revealed that promoters of SDTPL are Kalanithi and Kavery who were holding 80 per cent shares of the firm.

“SDTPL is owned and controlled by Kalanithi Maran and Kavery Kalanithi being shareholders and in the board of directors as chairman and director respectively,” it said. It further said SDTPL had received “proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 549.03 crore for Dayanidhi Maran in the guise of foreign investment,” which has been consumed by the company in its business.

The agency said that shareholders of SAFL were M/s Sun TV Network Ltd, which holds 60 per cent stake, while M/s A H Multisoft Pvt Ltd and M/s South Asia Multimedia Technologies Ltd, Mauritius, held 20 per cent shares each. Regarding Shanmugam, who was responsible for managing the affairs of SAFL as managing director, ED alleged “he signed the agreement for SAFL as authorised signatory with SAMTL on August 29, 2007 and January 10, 2008 in receiving proceeds of crime of Rs 193.55 crore in guise of capital contribution”.

“He (Shanmugam) was the person responsible for the day to day affairs of SAFL. He knowingly assisted in money laundering process,” the agency added.