2G: ED registers money laundering case against Marans

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The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money laundering case against former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation case.

The case, registered on Tuesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), pertains to an alleged illegal gratification of about Rs 550 crore allegedly received by the Maran brothers in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

Maran, a former Union Telecom Minister, had quit from the Cabinet last year after allegations were made that he had favoured Malaysian firm Maxis over Aircel in grant of telecom licences in 2004-05. Maran had denied the allegations.

The CBI too is probing Maran and his brother and Sun TV MD Kalanidhi in connection with these allegations.

The agency is also investigating the case for alleged contraventions of foreign exchange rules in this deal as it registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), an equivalent of the FIR.

The agency has also registered another case in the 2G case, pertaining to the NDA regime and has named former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh, then deputy director general J.R. Gupta and few telecom companies for alleged irregularities in the grant of additional 2G spectrum during 2001-03. ED will now record the statements of the individuals named in its ECIR.