Telephone exchange case: Madras High Court sets aside discharge orders against Maran brothers

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CHENNAI:  The Madras High Court on Wednesday set aside the lower court's order discharging former Union telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran in BSNL illegal telephone exchange case.

According to ANI, the Madras High Court also ordered framing of charges against the Maran brothers within 12 weeks.

Maran brothers were discharged earlier this year in March after the prosecution failed to prove the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had accused Maran brothers of causing a loss of Rs 1.76 crore to the national exchequer.

In November 2017, the CBI had made a strong case before the special court to dismiss the discharge applications moved by the duo and also filed an additional affidavit.

The CBI had maintained that all charges framed against them were supported by material and documentary evidence.

According to the CBI, Dayanidhi Maran, during the check period of June 2004 to December 2006, when he was Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, allegedly misused his office and installed a private telephone exchange at his residences in Chennai and utilised the facility for business transactions involving privately-owned Sun Network.

The agency said that he had caused a loss of Rs 1.78 crore to the exchequer.

More than 700 telecom lines were installed at their residences in Boat Club and Gopalapuram in Chennai, the agency stated.

Former BSNL general manager K Brahmnathan, former deputy general manager M P Velusamy and Dayanidhi Maran's private secretary Gauthaman were among the other accused.

Nearly four years after receiving complaints regarding the scam, the probe commenced in 2011 and an FIR was filed in October 2013.

After a detailed probe, the CBI filed the charge sheet on December 9, 2016.