2G: Time to tie up the Maran-Aircel affair

The CBI is yet to finalise its chargesheet in the Loop-Essar matter, but the agency has completed its probe in the Maran-Aircel affair. Sources told CNBC-TV18 that the formal charges will be filed soon.

Siddharth Zarabi reports that the 2001-2007 probe has very clearly zeroed in on Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran in the case. Quoting sources, he says that there however could be some more digging, essentially to do with criminal conspiracy and violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Maran stands to be charged in his capacity as a serving member of the cabinet as the then telecom minister, and his brother was a private businessman. Apart from the two Maran brothers, some companies too are expected to be named in the chargesheet.
Essentially, the CBI is saying that there was a quid-pro-quo involved in the Rs 725 crore investment by the entity from Malaysia which was actually done in two tranches. The CBI allegedly believes that this quid-pro-quo has been linked not only to the grant of more licenses to Aircel, but there is more in the offing. The agency will very shortly register another preliminary enquiry, which is a pre-FIR on the Telephone Exchange of around 323-350 lines that was established by Bharat Sanchar at Maran