Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday told Supreme Court that it will go by the opinion of Attorney General and file its charge sheet soon in Aircel- Maxis deal.
The SC has asked CBI to "rectify" the order if DIG Santosh Rastogi has been taken off 2G case investigation.
Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the CBI, told the apex court bench headed by Justice H.L. Dattu that the chargesheet would be based on evidence collected within the country as the Malaysian authorities were refusing to cooperate.
Venugopal told the court that "we have problem about Malaysia. For the last two years they are asking proof of criminality. They even wrote a strongly worded letter to our ambassador pointing to the various statements being made in India".
At this, Justice Dattu said the union of India will have to take up this matter. Venugopal said some strong measures will have to be taken.
The CBI Tuesday told the court that it needed a replacement for special public prosecutor U.U. Lalit whose name has been recommended for judgeship in the Supreme Court.
The court asked Venugopal to suggest three names of independent people to be considered by it.
CBI in 2011 had filed FIR in the case alleging that Dayanidhi Maran as telecom minister had used his influence to help Malaysian business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan acquire Aircel by coercing its owner C Sivasankaran.
It was alleged by Sivasankaran that the then telecom minister had favoured Malaysia-based Maxis group in the takeover of his company and in return investments were made by the company through Astro network in a company owned by the Maran family.
Maran, who has been examined by CBI, has denied all the allegations levelled against him and his family members.
The agency had also sought information from the Malaysian authorities through Letters Rogatory but it did not get satisfactory details, after which the judicial requests were sent again. The reply to second LR is pending.
CBI has named Maran, Kalanithi, Ananda Krishnan, senior executive Ralph Marshall three companies on charges of criminal conspiracy under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Corruption Act.
With Agency Inputs
