Ananda, three others face case over India telecoms deal

Malaysian billionaire T. Ananda Krishnan face a case
in connection with India's telecoms controversy

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian billionaire T. Ananda Krishnan, his trusted executive Ralph Marshall along with former Indian Telecoms Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi could face a case in connection with India's telecoms controversy that has rocked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government.

The case relating to criminal conspiracy in the swirling US$800mil (RM2.55bil) Aircel-Maxis telecoms deal was registered via a First Information Report (FIR) by the powerful Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

According to Indian news reports yesterday, the CBI conducted immediate raids on Dayanidhi's luxury homes and offices in New Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad after obtaining the FIR on Sunday.

The reports stated that CBI also raided Kalanidhi's offices at Sun TV, and the residence of Sunita Reddy who is a shareholder of Aircel.

When news of the CBI raids broke, it was flashed across Indian TV stations and immediately hit the wires and Malaysian news websites, with Maxis Communications Bhd (MCB) and Maxis Bhd (Maxis) issuing separate statements.

MCB which has a 74% stake in India's Aircel and is a major shareholder in Maxis, has totally denied any wrongdoing.