This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on August 5, 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd and Maxis Bhd, which are linked to Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan, said the legal proceedings initiated by India’s Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) against the tycoon and three others do not implicate the two listed entities and will have no impact on their operations.

Indian media reported on Tuesday that the CBI had applied for warrants of arrest against Ananda, Maxis Communications Bhd, Astro All Asia Network Ltd (AAANL) and its chief executive Ralph Marshall pertaining to the Aircel-Maxis money-laundering case involving former Indian telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday, Astro Malaysia said Ananda has a deemed substantial indirect interest in both Astro Malaysia and AAANL and Marshall is a non-executive director of Astro Malaysia as well as a director of AAANL, but the proceedings will not impact Astro Malaysia.

“We wish to clarify that AAANL is a separate and distinct legal entity and is not a member of the Astro Malaysia group of companies,” it said. “This charge does not implicate, nor impact Astro Malaysia, the entity listed on Bursa Malaysia.”

In a separate filing, Maxis said the CBI’s proceedings do not implicate the listed entity, and will have no impact on its operations.

“Maxis Bhd is a separate and distinct legal entity from Maxis Communications Bhd,” it said.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told the media on Tuesday that the Malaysian police have no legal purview to detain Ananda and Marshall without an order from the local courts.

The CBI had filed a charge sheet on Aug 29, 2014, against Dayanidhi, Kalanithi, Ananda, Marshall, Sun Direct TV Private Ltd, AAANL and its subsidiary South Asia Entertainment Holdings Ltd, Maxis Communications and former Indian telecom secretary JS Sharma, who has passed away.

The CBI claimed that AAANL paid illegal gratification to Dayanidhi through its investment in Sun Direct and South Asia FM Ltd,  firms owned by Kalanithi.

According to reports from India-based media, the CBI had registered the case on charges of criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI had also alleged that Chennai-based Aircel founder C Sivasankaran was “pressured” and “forced” to sell his stakes in Aircel and two subsidiary firms to Maxis Communications.

AAANL has denied the allegations, saying it is “totally unfounded and baseless” while Maxis Communications had steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, stating that the acquisition of Aircel was a commercial, arms-length transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller.