New Delhi:
The CBI has made it clear that former union minister Dayanidhi Maran is still being investigated for his alleged role in the telecom scam. In the Supreme Court today, the CBI's lawyer said "Media reports were totally incorrect. We haven't given him a clean chit."
Mr Maran, who is from the DMK, was Telecom Minister from 2004 to 2007. During this time, he allegedly delayed sanctioning licenses to C Sivasankaran, who owned Aircel. Mr Sivasankaran has told the CBI that Mr Maran co-erced him to sell his company to Maxis, a Malaysia-based group owned by T Anandakrishnan.
Once the sale was through, Aircel received the licenses that were crucial for its expansion.
The CBI says that while it has so far not found evidence of coercion, there is proof that "there was an inordinate and deliberate delay in issue of license to Aircel by the DoT (Department of Telecom). There was undue favour shown to Aircel once Maxis bought it."
Mr Anandakrishnan is known to be close to Mr Maran and his brother Kalanidhi who owns Sun Network. After he bought Aircel, the entrepreneur invested close to 800 crores in Sun. The CBI reasserted today that it is examining whether this was a trade-off for the telecom favours bestowed upon Maxis.
The CBI told the court that there is proof that the Maxis owner "was in touch with Maran and his brother before the sale."
Mr Maran resigned in July after the CBI said it had evidence to suggest he had misused his office in the Aircel deal.
Mr Maran, who is from the DMK, was Telecom Minister from 2004 to 2007. During this time, he allegedly delayed sanctioning licenses to C Sivasankaran, who owned Aircel. Mr Sivasankaran has told the CBI that Mr Maran co-erced him to sell his company to Maxis, a Malaysia-based group owned by T Anandakrishnan.
Once the sale was through, Aircel received the licenses that were crucial for its expansion.
The CBI says that while it has so far not found evidence of coercion, there is proof that "there was an inordinate and deliberate delay in issue of license to Aircel by the DoT (Department of Telecom). There was undue favour shown to Aircel once Maxis bought it."
Mr Anandakrishnan is known to be close to Mr Maran and his brother Kalanidhi who owns Sun Network. After he bought Aircel, the entrepreneur invested close to 800 crores in Sun. The CBI reasserted today that it is examining whether this was a trade-off for the telecom favours bestowed upon Maxis.
The CBI told the court that there is proof that the Maxis owner "was in touch with Maran and his brother before the sale."
Mr Maran resigned in July after the CBI said it had evidence to suggest he had misused his office in the Aircel deal.
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