Madras High Court cancels Dayanidhi Maran's bail plea, to knock on SC's door to avoid arrest

CHENNAI: Former union telecom minister and DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran will be knocking on the doors of the Supreme Court to avoid arrest by the CBI in a case relating to an illegal telephone exchange allegedly run by Maran at his residence while he was a minister. An arrest became imminent after the Madras High Court on Monday cancelled the interim anticipatory bail granted to Maran earlier in the case.

Maran’s legal team told ET that they will seek relief from the Supreme Court. The Madras High Court while cancelling the interim anticipatory bail had allowed Maran three days to surrender before the CBI.

A senior counsel for Maran said: "We will appeal at the Supreme Court either tomorrow or day after."

Justice S Vaidyanathan, before whom the case filed by the CBI asking for cancellation of Maran’s bail came up, struck down the earlier anticipatory bail granted on June 30. While arguing his case, CBI lawyer, the additional solicitor general of India G Rajagopalan, said that it was a "sensational" issue and that Maran had not revealed much during the questioning sessions by the CBI in the past.

The original case pertains to an alleged illegal telephone exchange with over 300 lines running from Maran's Boat Club residence. The exchange is alleged to have been set up to benefit Sun TV Network which made use of the illegally laid data transmission lines. CBI had pegged the loss to exchequer at Rs 1.7 crore.Sun TV is run by Maran's elder brother Kalanithi Maran.

Sun TV had suffered a crisis in recent times after the Centre disallowed participation in radio auctions and refused to renew its security clearance. CBI is also on Maran’s trail in an alleged coercion of Aircel promoter to sell stake to Malaysia-based Maxis.

Maran has alleged in the past that he is innocent and that he is being 'fixed'. He had in January said the CBI was subjecting his associates, including his private secretary V Gowthaman to torture to extract statements.