Setback for Maran brothers in illegal telephone exchange case

CHENNAI: In a set back for the Maran brothers - Sun TV promoter Kalanithi Maran and former Union Minister and DMK`s Lok Sabha candidate Dayanidhi Maran - and others, the Madras High Court on Wednesday declined to quash the charges framed against them in the illegal telephone exchange case.

The court also directed the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court to complete the proceedings in four months, and if they (the accused) adopt dilatory measures, then the trial court can also remand them to custody.

The CBI had alleged a loss of Rs 1.78 crore to the government due to the alleged installation of an illegal telephone exchange at Dayanidhi Maran`s house - when he was the Communication and Information Technology Minister - and its use for Sun TV operations.

In March 2017, the CBI court discharged all the accused but the Madras High Court set aside the order.

Apart from the Maran brothers, the others discharged by the special CBI court were BSNL`s former Chief General Manager K. Brahmanathan and former Deputy General Manager M. Velusamy, the former Minister`s Personal Secretary V. Gowthaman and Sun TV network employees S. Kannan and K.S. Ravi.

The Madras High Court had on June 25 remitted back the illegal telephone exchange case against the Marans to a special CBI court and ordered framing of charges against all the accused.

Its order had come on an appeal by the CBI challenging the special CBI court`s March 14 order discharging the Maran brothers and others in the case.