The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money-laundering case against former communications minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi in connection with its probe related to the controversial Aircel-Maxis deal.
According to sources, the agency is probing an alleged illegal gratification of about `550 crores allegedly received by the Maran brothers in the Aircel-Maxis deal. The case has been registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.
The agency is also investigating the case for alleged contravention of foreign exchange rules in this deal as it registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), an equivalent of the FIR. The agency has also registered another case in the 2G case, pertaining to the NDA regime, and has named former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh, then deputy director-general J.R. Gupta and a few telecom companies for alleged irregularities in the grant of additional 2G spectrum during 2001-03.
“Now the ED officials will record the statements of the individuals named in its ECIR. The ED may issue summons to all accused named in its report,” sources said. Sources added that the Central revenue agency is also probing alleged transfer of `629 crores from a Mauritius-based company to a Malaysian firm which further invested in an Indian telecom company.
“The ED officials are also collecting relevant documents from the Reserve Bank of India in this connection. Besides, the agency officials are also planning to send a ‘Letter of Request’ (LR) to authorities concerned in Mauritius in this connection,” sources said.