CBI set to file chargesheet against Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi

[Levina]

I hope CBI hasnt forgotten TATA and his tapes ahem ahem.

And what is the future of Spicejet and SunTV??

*******

CBI set to file chargesheet against Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi
Abhishek Bhalla
New Delhi, Wednesday, August 6, 2014

After escaping prosecution for nearly three years, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now set to press charges against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi for alleged coercion in the takeover of Aircel by Maxis. The chargesheet is expected to be filed within a week. Sources said the CBI is likely to chargesheet the Maran brothers, Malaysian businessman T. Ananda Krishnan, Ralph Marshall, a senior executive of Astro All Asia Network and Maxis, and three companies - Astro All Asia Networks, Sun Direct TV and Maxis Communications - under the Prevention of Corruption Act and criminal conspiracy.

The action comes soon after the CBI received a legal opinion from Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi stating that the agency has enough material evidence to file a chargesheet. There had been a difference of opinion between CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, who was of the view that the agency does not have enough evidence to press charges, and his investigating officers who were supported by the director of prosecution.

"We have taken into consideration the opinion of Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi, the representations sent by Maxis and material evidence collected through Letters Rogatory and other methods. I have issued orders to file the chargesheet," said Sinha.

In a last-ditch effort, Maxis wrote to the CBI that nobody was forced into the Aircel-Maxis deal and that it only went through after the consent of Aircel's Board of Directors.

Negotiations

"Chairman Aircel informed about the Board that the offer price quoted Ms Maxis Communication Berhad is quite attractive... Exchange of correspondence with Mr Sivasankaran in the course of negotiations which will show that Mr Sivasankaran was willing and that he had obtained the valuation that he so desired for his investment in Aircel," it said.

In 2011, the CBI had filed an FIR which alleged 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 worth `650 crore were made by the company through Astro network in a company owned by the Maran family. The Marans have refuted all the allegations against them.

The CBI under the UPA government had earlier on May 12 informed the Supreme Court that there were serious differences within the agency on whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute Marans and this was the reason for the delay in filing the chargesheet. The CBI maintains that there was a delay in filing the chargesheet because Malaysian authorities did not cooperate or share much information. This led to a sense within the agency that the case was a weak one for prosecution and the matter was then referred to former Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati. The matter remained pending and the new AG, under the NDA government, gave his opinion that the CBI could prosecute Marans.

Marans' troubles are only expected to escalate from here. Once the chargesheet is filed, it would be almost impossible for Marans to secure bail, going by the past record of O.P Saini, the special judge in the 2G scam related case. An appeal can only be made in the Supreme Court, which has slammed the CBI for not moving an inch in Marans' case for the past two years. Therefore, no leniency can be expected from the apex court which has been keeping a hawk eye on the case.

 

[Bang Galore]

I hope CBI hasnt forgotten TATA and his tapes ahem ahem.

What about Tata?

 

[HunterKiller]

What about Damad shree .. ??
Modi sought vote on that issue many a times... Hope PM seat haven't made him forget that ...

 

[Kaalapani]

What about Damad shree .. ??
Modi sought vote on that issue many a times... Hope PM seat haven't made him forget that ...

Boss Damad day will come.First he need to take out congress sympathisers and strong men in political and judiciary system.

he will take out one by one.

 

[Levina]

What about Tata?

Wasnt Ratan Tata trying to pitch in A Raja's name for the telecom ministry??
Reliance too had a mention in Radia tapes.

 

[Bang Galore]

Wasnt Ratan Tata trying to pitch in A Raja's name for the telecom ministry??
Reliance too had a mention in Radia tapes.

Don't think so. I believe Tata felt hard done by Raja (also true of Maran). Btw, Tata went to the Supreme Court on the tapes (invasion of privacy), don't think there is anything there for the CBI or anyone else. Reliance will be mentioned anywhere & everywhere, that just the nature of both the groups. Difficult still to pin them down.

 

[Levina]

Don't think so. I believe Tata felt hard done by Raja (also true of Maran). Btw, Tata went to the Supreme Court on the tapes (invasion of privacy), don't think there is anything there for the CBI or anyone else. Reliance will be mentioned anywhere & everywhere, that just the nature of both the groups. Difficult still to pin them down.

FYI

CBI probing Tata-Unitech link in 2G spectrum scam - TOI Mobile | The Times of India Mobile Site




CBI probing Tata-Unitech link in 2G scam

NEW DELHI: In a new twist to the alleged irregular allotment of 2G spectrum, the CBI on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it was investigating the allegation that Unitech got spectrum in 2008 during A Raja's tenure as telecom minister by hiding the fact that it was a front for the Tata group.

Citing the report of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) into telephone intercepts of former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation' (CPIL), told the court that Unitech was used as a front by the Tata group as Swan was used by Reliance Telecom.
When a bench of Justices H L Dattu, P C Ghose and S A Bobde asked the CBI for a report on this issue, special counsel for the agency K K Venugopal said the matter was already under investigation and that the agency had registered a preliminary enquiry (PE).

Venugopal said the tapes in question were sent for forensic examination and were found to be genuine. "Steps are being taken to examine the concerned persons. The investigations will be over soon," he told the court.

However, after the court hearing was over, the CBI's official spokesperson said, "No fresh PE was registered. The probe is an extension of the 2G spectrum investigations." The CBI had however, told the apex court that it had filed chargesheets against various persons and companies on completion of investigations into alleged irregular allotment of 2G spectrum.

In its application, CPIL alleged that the "SFIO investigation also confirms what was for long been suspected, that is Unitech was fronting for Tatas and had obtained 2G spectrum allocated by DoT in 2008 by cheating and fraud".

Quoting the SFIO report, the NGO said, "This money was not paid directly to Unitech Ltd. The companies of Tata group were put into service to route funds to the group companies of Unitech and these companies finally passed on the funds aggregating Rs 1,700 crore to Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd during March 2007 to March 2008. The money advanced by Tata Realty was in turn received from Tata Sons."

It further quoted the SFIO report, "After receiving the funds, the names of the companies were changed to conceal their identity. After procurement of the licences through the above eight companies, they were subsequently amalgamated with Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd... an accused in the 2G scam."

It said the SFIO further said "the money received from Tata Realty, through its group companies, was utilized by Unitech to pay the licence fees to the government for acquisition of licences".

The NGO said, "The SFIO report also referred to what it described as a 'back trail' of the money advanced to Unitech by Tata Realty. The telecom licence obtained by Unitech in October 2008 for Rs 1,651 crore was sold to Telenor at a 'huge profit' of Rs 6,210 crore by off-loading equity in 'the guise of infusion of funds'. The profit from this sale was shared with the Tatas and the monies were routed back in the guise of refund of advances."

The NGO alleged that there was tell-tale evidence of quid pro quo between Tatas and the DMK's first family, which surfaced through the revelation that a sprawling property worth hundreds of crores was transferred by Tata group company Voltas to the DMK's first family.

"This huge property transfer from the Tata group appears to have been mentioned in the Radia tapes in the conversation between Niira Radia and Rajathi Ammal (wife of M Karunanidhi)," the NGO said annexing the transcript of the conversation with the application.

 

[Bang Galore]

FYI

CBI probing Tata-Unitech link in 2G spectrum scam - TOI Mobile | The Times of India Mobile Site




CBI probing Tata-Unitech link in 2G scam

NEW DELHI: In a new twist to the alleged irregular allotment of 2G spectrum, the CBI on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it was investigating the allegation that Unitech got spectrum in 2008 during A Raja's tenure as telecom minister by hiding the fact that it was a front for the Tata group.

Citing the report of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) into telephone intercepts of former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation' (CPIL), told the court that Unitech was used as a front by the Tata group as Swan was used by Reliance Telecom.
When a bench of Justices H L Dattu, P C Ghose and S A Bobde asked the CBI for a report on this issue, special counsel for the agency K K Venugopal said the matter was already under investigation and that the agency had registered a preliminary enquiry (PE).

Venugopal said the tapes in question were sent for forensic examination and were found to be genuine. "Steps are being taken to examine the concerned persons. The investigations will be over soon," he told the court.

However, after the court hearing was over, the CBI's official spokesperson said, "No fresh PE was registered. The probe is an extension of the 2G spectrum investigations." The CBI had however, told the apex court that it had filed chargesheets against various persons and companies on completion of investigations into alleged irregular allotment of 2G spectrum.

In its application, CPIL alleged that the "SFIO investigation also confirms what was for long been suspected, that is Unitech was fronting for Tatas and had obtained 2G spectrum allocated by DoT in 2008 by cheating and fraud".

Quoting the SFIO report, the NGO said, "This money was not paid directly to Unitech Ltd. The companies of Tata group were put into service to route funds to the group companies of Unitech and these companies finally passed on the funds aggregating Rs 1,700 crore to Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd during March 2007 to March 2008. The money advanced by Tata Realty was in turn received from Tata Sons."

It further quoted the SFIO report, "After receiving the funds, the names of the companies were changed to conceal their identity. After procurement of the licences through the above eight companies, they were subsequently amalgamated with Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd... an accused in the 2G scam."

It said the SFIO further said "the money received from Tata Realty, through its group companies, was utilized by Unitech to pay the licence fees to the government for acquisition of licences".

The NGO said, "The SFIO report also referred to what it described as a 'back trail' of the money advanced to Unitech by Tata Realty. The telecom licence obtained by Unitech in October 2008 for Rs 1,651 crore was sold to Telenor at a 'huge profit' of Rs 6,210 crore by off-loading equity in 'the guise of infusion of funds'. The profit from this sale was shared with the Tatas and the monies were routed back in the guise of refund of advances."

The NGO alleged that there was tell-tale evidence of quid pro quo between Tatas and the DMK's first family, which surfaced through the revelation that a sprawling property worth hundreds of crores was transferred by Tata group company Voltas to the DMK's first family.

"This huge property transfer from the Tata group appears to have been mentioned in the Radia tapes in the conversation between Niira Radia and Rajathi Ammal (wife of M Karunanidhi)," the NGO said annexing the transcript of the conversation with the application.

Complicated (the connection between Unitech & Tata cannot be argued as the same as Swan & Reliance because Unitech was an already existing separate entity), We will have to wait for the actual SFIO report, not just Prashant Bhushan's arguments but it is quite interesting though the quid pro quo being alleged is not very clear and may not be easy to stand scrutiny. Interesting though.