Special Judge O P Saini then adjourned the case sine die, according to a report in Business Standard.
Indian courts have issued arrest warrants against the two, who are wanted for questioning over what has come to be known as the Aircel-Maxis case. Notices have also been published in Malaysian newspapers summoning the duo to attend court in India.
India’s central bureau of investigations (CBI), in pushing for the ‘absconders’ declaration, had told the court that more steps needed to be taken to secure the presence of Ananda Krishnan and Marshall in court.
India’s investigators want to question the Malaysians over a corruption case allegedly involving former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi.
In August 2014, the CBI accused the Maran brothers, Ananda, Marshall, and four companies, including Maxis Communication Berhad, of being involved in alleged kickbacks.
The CBI alleged that Dayanidhi had “pressured” and “forced” Chennai-based telecom promoter C Sivasankaran to sell his stake in Aircel and two subsidiary companies to Maxis Group in 2006. Later, in a quid pro quo, Maxis had allegedly invested Rs 650 crore in Sun TV network, run by the Maran brothers, the CBI had said.
A court had already ruled that the evidence was not sufficient to prosecute the Maran brothers. Prosecutors are appealing this decision at India’s Supreme Court, according to media reports.
However, that ruling did not have any effect on the two Malaysians and Maxis as the court had earlier segregated the trial against the Malaysians from that of the Indians, PTI had earlier reported.
Maxis has, from the beginning of the case, asserted that all its dealings regarding Aircel have been in accordance with India’s laws.