NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: The long arm of the law finally caught up with the powerful Maran brothers — former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and Sun TV chief Kalanidhi Maran — for their alleged role in the controversial Aircel-Maxis telecom deal, with the CBI raiding their homes and offices in Chennai and New Delhi on Monday.The raids came close on the heels of the CBI registering an FIR against the grand nephews of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi on Sunday in a case of conspiracy, corruption and cheating with regard to their role in extending favours to Aircel in allocation of spectrum and licences when Dayanidhi was telecom minister in the UPA-I government, between 2004 and 2007.The CBI team, headed by ASP Ravi Gambir, landed at the posh houses of the brothers in Chennai’s upmarket Boat Club locality past 7 am on Monday and conducted searches for about nine hours. An expert from BSNL was also part of the team.While it is said that Dayanidhi was not at home during the raids, Kalanidhi and his wife were in the house. The otherwise tranquil Boat Club area was abuzz as television OB vans and vehicles of media representatives were parked outside the houses, drawing the attention of morning walkers and passers by. Some employees of Sun TV and DMK workers too joined the crowd. Simultaneously, raids were conducted at the Sun TV office in MRC Nagar.The FIR also mentions the name of Maxis group of companies owner and Malaysia-based billionaire T Ananda Krishnan, the Group CEO, Ralph Marshall, and its India head. Maxis had purchased Aircel, owned by C Sivasankaran, in 2006-07 in a controversial deal.The FIR also names Sun TV Network, owned by the Maran brothers, Maxis and its subsidiary, Astro All Asia Networks. All of the three companies are at the centre of the criminal investigation since they were used to route the alleged ‘pay-off’ money that Dayanidhi earned for providing favours to Ananda Krishnan’s companies.According to CBI sources, the agency is already in touch with the Malaysian authorities to ascertain the details of Maxis Communications’ ownership structure and for information on the group’s other companies, including Astro All Asia Networks.The agency is now chasing the financial transactions that the accused companies have carried out in the last four years to build a strong case against them based on circumstantial and material evidence. The accused have been booked under Sections 120B of the IPC read with 13, 2 with 13, 1, d and Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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