agencies
Chennai, August 10: In a setback to former telecommunications minister Dayanidhi Maran, the Madras high court Monday cancelled his six-week, interim and conditional anticipatory bail granted to him June 30 and asked him to surrender before the CBI in three days. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a petition seeking to cancel the anticipatory bail granted to Maran on grounds that the DMK leader did not cooperate with the investigation.
The court accepted CBI’s argument and cancelled the bail granted earlier. The CBI case relates to the installation of over 300 high speed data lines at his Boat Club Road residence to benefit Sun TV group promoted by his elder brother Kalanithi Maran. The CBI latter said the number of phone lines installed is over 700 at his Boat Club Road residence and another residence in Delhi. Justice S Vaidhyanathan, who allowed the CBI’s cancelation plea and dismissed Maran’s anticipatory bail plea, however, granted three days for the ex- minister to surrender. He shall surrender by 4.30 pm August 13, he said.
“After evaluating the entire available material against Maran, I find prima facie the exact role he being the Union minister for communications and information technology in misusing his office for his wrongful gain by obtaining telephone connections illegally in the name of BSNL officials under ‘service category’. As such, I do not find any frivolity in the prosecution. Allegations which were attributed to Maran are corroborated by the material and circumstances on record,” justice Vaidhyanathan said in his order.
Admittedly, the preliminary inquiry was started in 2011 and FIR was lodged in 2013. Till June 13, 2015, the CBI had not made any attempts to arrest Maran though there was no protection of bail and he was very much available in their presence in January and October 2014, the judge said. “Therefore, if really, the CBI had made accusations with the object of injuring or humiliating Maran, he would have been arrested by now,” justice Vaidhyanathan said.
Taking note of “the huge magnitude of the case” the judge said: “I find considerable force in the contention raised by additional solicitor-general of India, when a number of undertrials have been languishing in jails even for petty offences, then, why Maran should be extended special concession by enlarging him on bail when serious allegations of corruption, cheating and causing wrongful loss to the exchequer of the government to the tune of crores of rupees, have been attributed to him.”
