With Enforcement Directorate (ED) having attached his properties and those of his brother in Aircel- Maxis deal case, DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran has alleged ‘political vendetta’ was behind the central agency’s action and charged it with acting as a ‘puppet’ in the “hands of someone.”
Maran alleged that ED, which had attached over Rs 700 crore moveable and immovable properties of his, his brother Kalanithi and his wife Kavery, said that he will take legal recourse and come out clean in the case.
“The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has released to the media a long list of attached properties. This (action) seems to have been done at the behest of someone due to political vendetta,” the former Union Minister said without naming anyone.
He alleged that ED had ‘flouted’ all legal provisions and had acted in ‘haste’.
“Which shows someone is directing it from behind,” he said in a statement issued late night here, a day after it attached the property.
While it was ‘evident’ that he had no ownership in or connections to Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd or South Asian FM Ltd, the professional investments in these have been ‘distracted’ he said.
Foreign investment in a domestic company cannot be done without the approval of the Centre, he said, adding “it cannot be but politics painting colours” to such a business transaction. He further alleged that ED had ignored certain legal provisions in this matter.
For instance, a particular property can be attached only if it had been earned as a benefit from the said allegation but ED had attached property “unconnected” to the issue on hand.
“Doesn’t it show ED is implementing someone’s intentions,” he said.
The attached property were bought before Astro All Asia Networks had made any investments in the said companies, and ED’s attaching them was ‘surprising,’ Maran said.
“Astro company had started investing in Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd and South Asia FM Ltd by end of 2007 and isn’t attaching properties bought many years before that contrary to rules,” he said, adding he was not a Minister that year.
“Wasn’t ED attaching properties bought prior to 2007 aimed at ‘satisfying’ someone,” he asked.
Further, the Aircel-Maxis deal was a thoroughly discussed and finalised agreement and there could be no criminality in that, he said, quoting legal experts.
“Therefore, ED’s attachment of properties by flouting rules makes it clear that it is acting as a puppet at the hands of someone. I will face (the case) legally and win it,” he added.
ED had on Wednesday attached assets worth Rs 742 crore of the Maran brothers in connection with its money laundering probe in the Aircel-Maxis deal.
The agency had registered a case against them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and is trailing “proceeds of crime” worth Rs 742 crore allegedly laundered by the brothers.
