Chennai, April 1 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday announced the attachment of properties worth Rs.742.58 crore held by Dayanidhi Maran, Kalanithi Maran and the latter’s wife Kaveri Kalanithi.
In a statement, the ED said the attachment was in respect of the offence of money laundering relating to illegal gratification amounting to Rs.742.58 crore received by Dayanidhi Maran.
“The offence of money laundering under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is being investigated in respect of the offences punishable under section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code read with section 7, 12 and section 13(2) read with section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which are scheduled offences under PMLA and is punishable under section 4 of the Act,” it said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against the Maran brothers and their companies, including foreign firms.
So the attachment of the illegal gratification by Dayanidhi Maran has been done thereafter, as per provisions of PMLA, the ED said.
According to the ED, investigation revealed that illegal gratification of Rs.742.58 crore was paid by the companies based in Mauritius for Dayanidhi Maran, in the two companies namely Sun Direct TV Pvt. Ltd. (SDTPL) and South Asia FM Ltd. (SAFL).
These two companies are owned and controlled by Kalanithi Maran, the elder brother of Dayanidhi Maran.
The money has been utilised by the companies in their business or investments, the ED said.
The investigation under the PMLA further revealed that promoters of SDTPL were Kalanithi Maran his wife Kaveri Kalanithi.
These two people are holding 80 percent shares of SDTPL.
The shareholders of SAFL are Sun TV Network Limited (60 percent) and 20 percent each are with A.H. Multisoft Pvt. Ltd. and South Asia Multimedia Technologies Ltd., Mauritius.
Kalanithi Maran is holding 75 percent share of Sun TV Network Limited.
Kalanithi Maran and Kaveri Kalanithi are having 90 percent and 10 percent shareholding respectively in a company, Kal Comm Pvt. Ltd, the ED said.
According to the ED, the following properties were attached under section 5(1) of the PMLA:
1. Fixed deposits held by Dayanidhi Maran and others – Rs.7.47 crore.
2. Fixed deposits held by SDTPL – Rs.31.34 crore.
3. Fixed deposits held by SAFL – Rs.6.19 crore.
4. Mutual funds held by SAFL – Rs.15.14 crore.
5. Fixed deposit held by Kalanithi Maran – Rs.100 crore.
6. Mutual funds held by Kalanithi Maran – Rs.2.78 crore.
7. Fixed deposit held by Kaveri Kalanithi – Rs.1.3 crore.
8. Mutual funds held by Kaveri Kalanithi – Rs.1.78 crore.
9. Land and building owned by Kal Comm Private Limited – Rs.171.55 crore.
10. Free hold land and building owned by Sun Network TV Pvt. Ltd – Rs.266 crore.
11. Shares of SDTPL held by Kalanithi Maran – Rs.139 crore.