Aircel-Maxis: CBI for arrest of two accused in Malaysia

NEW DELHI: The CBI on Monday sought an arrest warrant against two Malaysia-based accused in the Aircel-Maxis case involving ex-telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and

NEW DELHI: The CBI on Monday sought an arrest warrant against two Malaysia-based accused in the Aircel-Maxis case involving ex-telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran.

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The probe agency moved the application before special judge OP Saini, stating that the summons issued to Malaysian businessman T Ananda Krishnan and Malaysian national Augustus Ralph Marshall could not be served. Besides the Maran brothers, Krishnan and Marshall, the court had also summoned four companies — Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd, Maxis Communication Berhad, South Asia Entertainment Holding Ltd and Astro All Asia Network PLC — as accused in the CBI’s case. During the day’s hearing, the Marans challenged the jurisdiction of the special 2G court to try the Aircel-Maxis deal-related money laundering case, stating that it was not part of the 2G spectrum scam and cannot be heard by the designated judge.

Meanwhile, the ED on Monday opposed the bail plea of the Maran brothers, citing that the money laundering aspect is still being probed and the possibility of tampering with the evidence and influencing witnesses could not be ruled out.