HC refuses to intervene in Aircel-Maxis case

Accused trying to sell assets and escape law, says petitioner The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to direct the CBI to move the trial court for “attachment and forfeiture of shares and all the assets of Aircel Limited , as held by Maxis and its subsidiaries during the pendency of the proceedings in the Aircel-Maxis case involving former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, as it held that the same would amount to interfering in the proceedings before the special court seized of the matter. PIL plea rejected A Bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) petition moved by the Society for Consumers and Investors Protection which prayed for these directions to the CBI. The petitioner claimed that the persons accused in the case were trying to liquidate all its assets and escape the clutches of law. “...even assuming that the allegations made in the present petition have any substance, appropriate steps need to be taken before the Special Court itself. The directions sought in this writ petition, if granted, would not only interfere with the proceedings pending before the Special Court but also would defeat the very purpose and object of orders passed by the Supreme Court for constitution of a Special Court for dealing with 2G spectrum scam cases,” said the court. “Hence, we are not inclined to entertain this petition and the same is dismissed accordingly,” it ordered. Besides, the petition had sought directions to the Department of Telecommunications, SEBI, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and Foreign Investment Promotion Board to set aside the approvals granted to Reliance Communications Limited for a merger of its wireless business with that of Aircel. It had also sought setting aside of the approvals granted to Bharti Airtel for acquisition of 4G spectrum of Aircel.