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ED issues Rs 742.58 crore attachment order against Sun TV group’s Marans
MUMBAI: South Indian media baron Kalanidhi Maran and his brother, the former Union telecom minister Dayanidhi – scions of the powerful DMK party of Tamil Nadu – received a setback late last evening when India’s Enforcement Directorate issued an order to attach properties and assets worth Rs 742.58 crore belonging to them.
It also ordered that certain assets belong to Kalanithi’s wife Kaveri be attached. The order was issued following investigation by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, says an ED release, and was in relation to an alleged illegal gratification of the same amount Dayanidhi received in the Aircel-Maxis case when he was telecom minister.
The entire money laundering investigation is being done under the eagle eye of the Supreme Court and the ED’s Deputy Director Rajeshwar Singh under the Headquarter Investigation Unit (HIU).
The ED had tweeted earlier in the day that the “ED HIU attaches under PMLA FDs, land & building,shares of Maran brothers worth Rs 742.58 crores in #Aircel-Maxis case.”
Dayanidhi was chargesheeted in that case by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2011 for coercing Aircel owner C. Sivasankaran during his term as telecom minister (in 2006) to sell his stake to Maxis which is owned by ageing Malaysian billionaire Tatparanandam Ananda Krishnan. In return for that companies in Mauritius transferred Rs 742.58 crore allegedly for Dayanidhi into Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) and South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL)
The EDs investigation revealed that SDTPL is promoted by Kalanithi Maran and Kaveri Kalanithi and they own 80 per cent of its shares. The shareholders of SAFL are Sun TV Network (60 per cent) and 20 per cent each are A.H. Multisoft Pvt Ltd and South Asia Multimedia Technologies Ltd., Mauritius. Kalanithi also holds 75 per cent of Sun TV Network Limited, while he and his wife own 90 per cent and 10 per cent respectively of Kal Comm Pvt. Ltd.
The ED order has attached the following under the PMLA:
* Fixed deposits held by Dayanidhi Maran and others – Rs. 7.47 Crore
* Fixed deposits held by SDTPL – Rs. 31.34 Crore.
* Fixed deposits held by SAFL – Rs. 6.19 Crore
* Mutual Funds held by SAFL – Rs.15.14 Crore.
* Fixed Deposit held by Kalanithi Maran – Rs 100 Crore.
* Mutual Funds held by Kalanithi Maran – Rs. 2.78 Crores.
* Fixed Deposit held by Kaveri Kalanithi – Rs 1.30 Crore.
* Mutual Funds held by Kaveri Kalanithi – Rs. 1.78 Crore.
* Land and Building owned by Kal Comm Private Limited – Rs. 171.55 Crores
* Free Hold Land and Building owned by Sun Network TV Pvt. Ltd – Rs. 266 Crore.
* Shares of SDTPL held by Kalanithi Maran – Rs. 139 Crore.
The Marans have 120 days to appeal against the ED order.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
