CBI seeks cancellation of Dayanidhi Maran's interim pre-arrest bail

NEW DELHI: In fresh trouble for embattled former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, the Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) has approached the Madras High Court for cancelling the interim anticipatory bail, which he had obtained on June 30.

Top CBI officials said the petition seeking cancellation of Maran's bail was filed on Thursday and is likely to come up for hearing on Tuesday, July 21. On June 30, Justice R Subbiah had provided interim relief to the beleaguered former minister.

In its petition, the agency has cited what it describes as non-cooperation by the former minister during the inquiry held in Delhi on July 1 and subsequent days as the main ground to cancel interim bail. CBI has said Maran was evasive and not truthful during his examination.

In its chargesheet in what is known as the illegal telephone exchange case, the agency has alleged that when he was the telecom minister in the UPA government during the 2004-2007 period, Maran ensured the laying of high-speed lines to his Boat Club Road residence in Chennai. As per the CBI's version, these were used by Sun TV network, owned by his brother Kalanithi Maran, to facilitate faster transmission of TV news and programmes.

Maran had obtained 364 actual telephone numbers/lines without entitlement and the billing addresses of these connections was the office of chief general managers, BSNL, Chennai Telephone Exchange, the agency has alleged.

CBI also claimed to be in possession of clinching evidence against Maran on the alleged misuse of his office as telecom minister.