New Delhi, June 6
Aircel founder C Sivasankaran here today told the CBI that he was forced to sell stake in his company after his applications for telecom licences were rejected in 2006 by former Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran, sources said.

Sivasankaran went to the CBI office on his own to meet officials investigating the 2G Spectrum allocation from 2001 to 2007, and stated his case. “We have not yet registered a case,” a CBI official said.

However, the CBI recorded his statement.

“He alleged that his applications for licences were rejected while DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran was the Telecom Minister in 2006,” said a source.

Sivasankaran also alleged that he was forced sell his stake in Aircel to Malaysia’s Maxis Communications, whose owner is reported to be close to Maran and his brother Kalanidhi, who owns Sun TV, added the source.

Maran is alleged to have granted 14 licences to Dishnet Wireless, which later became Aircel, during his tenure as Telecom Minister between 2004 and 2007.

Sivasankaran said when Maxis came into the picture, Aircel was awarded licences for seven more telecom circles.

Chennai: Rejecting allegations that he had “forced and arm-twisted” former Aircel chief C Sivasankaran to sell his business as Telecom Minister, Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran today asserted that he would prove his “innocence” before the appropriate authorities.

“Most of you have been trying to make a story today saying that I forced, arm-twisted and strangulated a person to sell his business to other person. Let me tell you, Sivasankaran is not a millionaire, but a multi-billionaire. No one can force anyone to sell the business,” Maran told reporters here.

He said the company was “parading itself” much before he became the Telecom Minister in 2004 during the UPA-1 regime.

Quoting media reports published in 2004, Maran said Aircel was selling itself even before his entry into the Telecom Ministry. “If anyone feels that he was forced to sell his business, he can always go to the court,” Maran said. “I will address appropriate authorities and prove my innocence,” he said. — Agencies