After the CBI dropped a bombshell in the Supreme Court, disclosing that a politically and financially influential person in Mala-ysia was hampering the probe in that country of the Aircel-Maxis deal, highly placed sources in the investigating agency on Thurs-day admitted this would have a significant impact on the probe in India as we-ll, particularly as far as the money trail is concerned.
“The agency’s probe has clearly established that Dayanidhi Maran, the then communications minister, had awarded spectrum licences to Aircel only after Maxis bought it. In return, Maran reportedly received `547 crore as quid pro quo investment in Sun Direct TV from a Malaysian firm through its subsidiary,” sources said. Even though there are reports that some Malaysian government agencies might have some stake in the Maxis group, which is being probed, prima facie it seems the money to Sun TV was routed by Maxis in return for helping clinch the Aircel deal, CBI sources said.
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices G.S. Singhvi and K.S. Radhakri-shnan had observed Wednesday that prima facie there seemed to be a nexus in the Aircel-Maxis deal involving Mr Maran and a Malaysian tycoon.
It is alleged that Dayani-dhi Maran arm-twisted the original promoter of Aircel, C. Sivasankaran, into selling his stake to the Maxis Group, promoted by T. Ananda Kumar. It is also alleged that once this deal materialised Maxis, in turn, invested `547 crore in Sun TV network.
CBI sources say that if investigations in Malaysia are not conducted properly, the money trail will not be established. Money for the deal and the investment in Sun TV came through a complex web of front companies operating out of Mauritius and Malaysia.
Highly-placed CBI sources said there was a deliberate attempt by Malaysian authorities to stonewall investigations to protect the other direct and indirect beneficiaries of the deal, including the Marans.
Senior CBI officials said every attempt is being made by influential people in Malaysia to see this particular case closed, and that they are trying to ensure that the CBI is unable to establish the quid pro quo in the deal.
Sources claimed the CBI is preparing to pressure the Malaysian authorities through diplomatic channels.