The CBI has informed the Supreme court that it has completed the domestic investigations into the Aircel-Maxis deal but the overseas probe is being delayed due to the influence of the firm's owner in Malaysia, who is politically powerful. Letters Rogatory have been sent to complete the investigation about the deal in Malaysia and Mauritius. The Supreme Court observed that the CBI probe into the allegations in the Aircel-Maxis deal, involving former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and a Malaysian business tycoon, prima facie indicates a nexus. A bench of justices GS Singhvi and KS Radhakrishnan said this after perusing two reports filed in a sealed cover by the CBI.

Mr. Maran has been accused of forcing Chennai-based telecom promoter C Sivasankaran to sell his stake in Aircel to a Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006 owned by Kuala Lumpur-based business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan.