A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said the agency would soon call Malaysian businessman T Ananda Krishnan for questioning. Maxis is part of the business empire of Krishnan, who is expected to soon fly to New Delhi.
Questionnaires e-mailed to Maxis Communications Berhad CEO Sandip Das and the company's corporate communications office at Kuala Lumpur remained unanswered.
A few days ago, Stanchart's Prahlad Shantigram had flown in from Singapore for a session with CBI on the deal, announced in December 2005. Stanchart had advised Maxis on the deal. Shantigram was Stanchart's investment banking head based in Mumbai at that time.
At the centre of the probe is a statement by Aircel founder C Sivasankaran, recorded in June, that he was coerced by Dayanidhi Maran when he was the telecom minister (2004-2007) to sell out to Maxis. Maxis had paid $800 million for the deal.
Specifically, CBI is trying to find out if there was a quid pro quo. Ananda Krishnan and the Maran family have known each for long, it is believed. Aircel, denied a pan-India telecom licence earlier, was able to enter all circles after the Maxis takeover, Sivasankaran told CBI.
The investigations are also focusing on the fact that following the deal, Astro, also a part of Ananda Krishnan's media-telecom empire, announced a $160 million investment in Sun Direct for a 20
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