Ananda, Marshall summoned over Aircel-Maxis deal in India

Tycoon T. Ananda krishnan

PETALING JAYA: Billionaire T Ananda Krishnan (pic) and his lieutenant, Ralph Marshall, have been summoned to appear before India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the second week of November over a probe alleging irregularities related to a 2006 Aircel-Maxis deal, the Economic Times of India reported.

The paper said this was the first time the ED, which probes money laundering, has asked the Maxis promoter to appear before it.

“The latest request is being sent with more evidence. We hope that the Malaysian authorities will cooperate,” the paper quoted a senior home ministry of India official as saying.

Earlier, an Indian court had issued a letter rogatory to a court in Malaysia, seeking assistance in getting Ananda to testify in India, but to no avail.

The report said both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED had named Ananda in the case, but were unable to question him despite the letter rogatory from an Indian court to a court in Malaysia seeking assistance.

India’s former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran is among those facing charges in the case for allegedly influencing the deal and financially gaining from it, the paper said.

Maxis Communications Bhd, which is part of Ananda’s business empire, had in 2006 bought a 74% stake in India’s Aircel.

It first invested US$280mil (RM896mil) for a 26% stake in Aircel, and then bought the remaining 74% for US$800mil in a joint venture with its Indian partner Sindya Securities and Investments Pvt Ltd.

Five years later, the previous owner of Aircel, C. Sivasankaran, complained to the CBI that Dayanidhi had “arm-twisted” him to sell the stake to Maxis.

But Maxis had earlier said it was in full-compliance with the applicable laws of India when it bought the stake in 2007 and denied the allegations.

Quoting unnamed officials, the report said the ED notice would be processed by the Home Ministry, which acts as the nodal agency for India’s mutual legal assistance treaty with Malaysia, signed in 2012. It added that the summons would be served by the Indian High Commission in Malaysia.

Apart from Ananda, Marshall had been earlier asked to appear before it in January but had not turn up after Malaysian authorities raised queries with India.

The report said the agency, this time around had provided additional information to satisfy the Kuala Lumpur authorities.