In a bid to tighten the noose around Union textile minister Dayanidhi Maran, the CBI sleuths recorded statements of two London-based merchant bankers who have been cited as key witnesses by former Aircel owner Shivasankaran.

The CBI team returned from the UK two days back after meeting the witnesses. The agency, which is conducting a preliminary enquiry into 2G spectrum allocations between 2001 and 2007, is required to take permission from the prime minister’s office before lodging an FIR against Maran.

“We are recording statements of all witnesses who have been named by Sivasankaranso that we can pursue our case for approval from the prime minister’s office to prosecute Maran,” said a senior CBI official.
Sivasankaran, a non-resident Indian, had claimed before the CBI that harassment by the Department of Telecommunications, which repeatedly rejected his applications for mobile network licences, forced him to sell his company to Malaysian firm Maxis controlled by T Anandakrishnan. It is learnt that Anandakrishnan is considered close to Maran and his brother, Kalanidhi, who owns Sun TV.

Dayanidhi Maran allegedly forced Sivasankaran to sell the stake to Maxis before awarding 14 telecom licences. In return, Maxis made an investment of around Rs600 crore in Sun TV.

Sivasankaran heads $3 billion conglomerate, Siva Group, with operations in realty, telecom, shipping, energy, agri exports and e-education/software.
Shiva in his statement to the CBI a fortnight back alleged that he had offered to sell part equity and keep 51 per cent stake in Aircel but Maran arm twisted him.

Maran has explained that Sivasankaran was planning to sell the company even before he became telecom minister, citing media reports published in 2004.