Madras High Court dismisses Kalanithi Maran's plea against attachment of property

CHENNAI:The Madras High Court today dismissed a petition filed by Sun TV Network and Kal Comm to stay the Enforcement Directorate's move to attach assets of the media company in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case.

In his observations, Judge M Sathyanarayanan has said in view of orders from the Supreme Court in the case, it would be fit to dismiss the case on grounds of maintainability.

M Sneha, counsel for Sun TV said the petitioner has all options to pursue their grievance in the Supreme Court and this judgement has not touched on the merit of the case. "The judge has not touched on the merit of the case. He has given us the liberty to approach the supreme court," she told ET.

In his arguments against the petitioner, the Additional Solicitor General G Rajagopalan had said a hearing of this petition could come in the way of investigations into the Aircel Maxis deal. Sun TV had argued that the attached assets were acquired before the time of the alleged crime. The arguments for the case were concluded on June 2.

The Enforcement Directorate had in end-March attached properties worth Rs 742 crore in the Aircel Maxis case. This case, along with irregularities in spectrum allocation and related matters are being under consideration at the Supreme Court. At this juncture, the Madras High Court decided against the maintainabiltiy of the writ petition against ED's asset attachment.

The Sun TV group is facing another crisis with the Ministry of Home affairs refusing a key security clearance on grounds of criminal cases pending against the promoters. The scrip of Sun TV touched lower circuit on the BSE after news of denial of security clearance came out.