Illegal BSNL lines case: CBI examines Dayanidhi Maran

NEW DELHI, Jun 16 (PTI) In a bid to finalize the case in alleged allocation of over 300 BSNL high-speed phone lines given to the then Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, CBI has examined him in connection with the case.

CBI sources said Maran was examined here last month for his alleged involvement in the allocation of the lines which were purportedly used by a company, owned by his family, involved in electronic media.

The agency had registered a case against Maran and BSNL officials for allegedly allotting over 300 high-speed telephone lines to his residence in Chennai.

Maran did not respond to SMS seeking his reaction on the development.

The agency had filed the FIR following its preliminary enquiry to proceed with a regular case against Maran and BSNL officials -- the then CGM K Bramhanathan and MP Veluswami.

The sources said these 323 residential lines were allegedly in the name of the BSNL General Manager connecting the Boat House residence of Maran with the office of the company through a dedicated underground cable during his tenure as Telecom Minister.

The probe had started in 2011, nearly four years after getting complaints that a 'virtual' telephone exchange was allegedly set-up at the then Telecom Minister's residence for facilitating data transfer.

CBI has alleged these lines were not ordinary telephone lines but costly ISDN, capable of carrying huge data thus facilitating faster transmission of TV news and programmes across the globe.

CBI in its report to the Telecom Secretary had alleged these lines were for use of large commercial enterprises to meet special needs such as video conferencing or transmission of huge volume of digital data for which heavy fee is charged.