The CBI today questioned former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran in the case of allegedly using over 300 high data capacity BSNL telecom lines at his Boat House residence in Chennai.
Maran appeared for questioning at 11 AM at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi and was being examined by a team of officials of Special Task Force of CBI.
The CBI was able to file a preliminary inquiry only by 2011, four years after the scam came to light, because the Telecom Secretary in 2007, did not give approval.
CBI Allegations Against Maran
The CBI has alleged nearly 323 residential lines, in the name of BSNL General Manager in 2007, MP Veluswami, connected Maran’s residence with a Sun TV office through a dedicated underground cable during his tenure as Telecom Minister.
Sun TV is a television channel network owned by Dayanidhi Maran’s brother Kalnithi Maran.
The CBI told the current Telecom Secretary that Sun TV used the expensive Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines meant for special purposes, for free, even though these services are provided for a very high fee.
These lines facilitate speedy transmission of TV programmes across the globe.
Earlier in the Week
Maran was called on Monday for questioning, but skipped the scheduled meeting.
He approached the Madras High Court seeking an interim anticipatory bail which was granted to him on Tuesday, June 30.
Earlier, the Madras High Court had granted bail to three officials of Sun TV, who were arrested by CBI in connection with the case.
They were V Gowthaman, former Additional Private Secretary of Maran, Chief Technical Officer S Kannan and electrician L S Ravi.
(With inputs from the PTI)
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