Kalanidhi Maran summoned by police in cheating case

CHENNAI: Media magnate Kalanidhi Maran, who is also the grandnephew of DMK President M Karunanidhi, has been summoned by the city police to appear before it today in a cheating and intimidation case against Sun Pictures owned by him.

Police said Kalanidhi, Chairman and Managing Director of Sun Network and brother of former union minister Dayanidhi Maran, was summoned to appear on a complaint by a Salem-based film distributor who accused Sun Pictures of cheating Rs 83 lakh and threatening him when he sought return of the money.

While Kalanidhi has been summoned for the first time in the case, Sun Pictures Chief Operating Officer Hansraj Saxena has already been arrested on the complaint filed by T S Selvaraj of Kandan Films.

Sources said Kalanidhi might appear before the K K Nagar police anytime during the day.

He is the elder brother of Dayanidhi Maran who recently quit the union cabinet over the 2G scam.

After his arrest on July 3, Saxena has been named in eight more cases involving production and distribution of two other Tamil films, including Rajnikanth-starrer "Endhiran", which was produced by Sun Pictures and released last year.

Saxena is now under 15 days judicial custody.