Aircel-Maxis deal: SC directs ED, CBI to file status report by January 23

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the  Enforcement Directorate and CBI to file a status report by 23 January in connection with investigations pending in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

CBI in 2011 had filed FIR in the case alleging that Dayanidhi Maran as telecom minister had used his influence to help Malaysian business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan acquire Aircel by coercing its owner C Sivasankaran.

It was alleged by Sivasankaran that the then telecom minister had favoured Malaysia-based Maxis group in the takeover of his company and in return investments were made by the company through Astro network in a company owned by the Maran family.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that two firms, South Asia FM Limited (SAFL) and Sun Direct TV Private Ltd. (SDTPL), had received Rs. 742.58 crore as “proceeds of crime” from Mauritius-based firms and that the two firms were then allegedly controlled by Kalanithi Maran.

Meanwhile Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy, has presented his case of an illegality been committed by the then finance minister P Chidambaram in granting FIPB clearance to the Rs 3,500 crore deal in 2006.

Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram also has an alleged role in the Aircel-Maxis deal. CBI is looking into investments made by firms controlled by Karti into Aircel while the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance issue was under the consideration of the UPA government.