Enough material to charge sheet Marans: Attorney General

Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi on Tuesday informed the CBI that there was enough prosecutable evidence to file a charge sheet against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran for alleged acts of wrongdoing, including quid pro quo in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

According to informed sources, the A-G was of the opinion that there were material circumstances for the involvement of Mr. Maran in the deal and said he was in agreement with the Director of Prosecution in the CBI for filing the charge sheet.

The CBI sought the opinion of the A-G after the investigating officer, his supervisor and the Director of Prosecution favoured launching prosecution against Mr. Maran but CBI Director Ranjit Sinha held a contrary view.

Last November, the CBI had informed the Supreme Court that the offshore investigation into the Aircel-Maxis deal got grounded as the Malaysian government had said that there was nothing against T. Ananda Krishnan, owner of Maxis, which bought Aircel from its original owner Sivasankaran.

The CBI had investigated whether Mr. Sivasankaran was forced by Mr. Maran to sell his entire stake in Aircel to Malaysia-based Maxis owned by Mr. Ananda Krishnan and the allegations of quid pro quo to make a big investment in the Maran-family-owned Sun Direct channel.