New Delhi: The CBI yesterday told the Supreme Court that it will file charges against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran in the Aircel-Maxis deal by the end of this month.
Senior counsel K K Venugopal, appearing for the CBI, told the apex court bench of Justice H L Dattu, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Justice S A Bobde that the charge sheet would be based on evidence collected within the country, as Malaysian authorities were refusing to cooperate.
Venugopal told the court: “We have problem about Malaysia. For the last two years they are asking proof of criminality. They are not making available the material sought by us. Once they even wrote a strongly worded letter to our ambassador...”
At this, Justice Dattu said: “The Union of India will have to take up this matter.” Venugopal said: “Some strong measures will have to be taken.”
The Central Bureau of Investigation decided to go ahead with the filing of a charge sheet following Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi’s opining that there was enough to go ahead with the filing of the charge sheet against Maran in the Aircel-Maxis deal, which was concluded in 2006.
Rohtagi’s opinion was sought following sharp differences between CBI Director Ranjit Sinha and another director on launching prosecution.
Sinha held that there was insufficient evidence to proceed against Maran.
C Sivasankaran, the original owner of Aircel, had alleged that he was pressured by Maran to sell the company to Maxis, owned by T Ananda Krishnan.
The agency has also claimed a quid pro quo on this matter, saying that in return the Malaysian company invested Rs6.5bn in Sun TV, owned by the Maran family.
The CBI also told the court that it needed replacement for special public prosecutor U U Lalit, whose name has been recommended as a Supreme Court judge.
The court asked Venugopal to suggest three names of independent people to be considered by it.
The court also directed the restoration of DIG Santosh Rostogi who, counsel Prashant Bhushan said, has been shunted out from the investigation of the 2G case.
Bhushan told the court that Rastogi was supervising the probe in the 2G cases.
Asking why it was done, Justice Dattu said: “If it is done, then rectify it immediately.”
IANS
