Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran had generated funds worth ₹742.58 crore through illegal means and there was sufficient prima facie material to proceed against him and other accused in the money laundering case related to the Aircel-Maxis deal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claimed on Monday.

The ED submitted to a special court that Dayanidhi had obtained “illegal gratification” of ₹742.58 crore and the money was “parked” in the firms of his brother Kalanithi, a co-accused, by projecting it as untainted.

The ED argued that the accused had actively participated in receiving the proceeds of crime through various Mauritius-based entities.

“In this case, we have qualified the proceeds of crime. An illegal gratification of ₹742.58 crore was obtained by Dayanidhi Maran as a result of criminal activity.

₹742.58 crore was generated by him through illegal means,” the ED’s special prosecutor told Special CBI judge OP Saini.

The agency said that as far as the scheduled offence was concerned, the court had already taken cognizance of the CBI ’s charge-sheet against the Maran brothers and others in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

“As far as scheduled offence is concerned, cognizance has already been taken. The CBI’s charge-sheet talks about payment of illegal gratification to Dayanidhi Maran,” the probe agency said. After hearing the submissions, the court said: “Arguments on the point of cognizance heard. Since records of the case are voluminous, put up for further arguments on February 6.”

Besides Dayanidhi, the ED has named Kalanithi Maran, his wife Kavery Kalanithi, K Shanmugam, Managing Director of South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL), and two firms — Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) and SAFL — as accused in the case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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