Maran to face trial in illegal telephone exchange case
The Supreme Court on Monday said former telecom minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Dayanidhi Maran will have to face trial in the illegal telephone exchange case as it dismissed his plea challenging an order of the Madras high court that set aside his discharge in March.
A bench of justice Ranjan Gogoi, justice R Banumathi and justice Navin Sinha said it was not inclined to interfere in the matter and that all the allegations could be dealt with during the trial.
The bench directed the trial court to frame charges against Maran, a grandnephew of ailing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi.
The Madras high court on July 23 set aside a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court’s March 14 verdict discharging Dayanidhi, his brother, Kalanithi, and five others in the case.
Dayanidhi is accused by the probe agency of misusing his office and installing a private telephone exchange at his residences in Chennai during his tenure as the Union minister under Congress-led United Progressive Alliance rule between 2004 and 2007.
The telephone exchange was allegedly used to promote business activities of his familyowned Sun TV.
Maran allegedly got 764 telephone connections installed at his Chennai and Delhi residences under service category without being entitled to it, according to Central Bureau of Investigationcharges.
According to the prosecution’s case, he caused a loss of over ₹1.7 crore to the government exchequer and undue gain to Sun TV owner Kalanidhi by violating procedures and norms.
NEW DELHI: