The ex-minister allegedly diverted the lines for his family business purposes.
More trouble for former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran, as the CBI has registered a fresh case into the allegations of misusing more than 300 telephone lines meant for ‘official’ use and then diverted the same secretly for his family television channel. Maran got these telephone lines in his capacity as Union telecom minister.
“We have registered a preliminary inquiry into the matter after a joint meeting with Department of Telecommunication. So far inquiry has been registered against unknown officials, but very soon, names will be added into the case,” a top CBI official told DNA.
“Investigation is regarding the misutilisation of 323 telephone connections by the former Union minister of communication and IT, which originally meant for his residence no, 3/1, Boat Club Avenue, RA Puram, Chennai, but which were subsequently used by Sun TV network, Chennai, causing huge loss to the central government,” CBI official added.
CBI has been trying hard to get reply from the DoT on this matter since four years. In 2007, an official communication to the DoT secretary, the then CBI special director ML Sharma, had asked DoT’s reply. But DoT had come with a lame reply in 2009, by putting entire blame on the chief general manager of the BSNL, Chennai. CBI was not convinced with the reply.
“But after examining, we have to know that chief general manager only followed the directions of telecom minister. It seems that Maran used these lines for his family television channel Sun TV office, by laying 3.4 kilometre long secret underground cable,” official claimed.
Initial probe conducted by the CBI, the agency had recommended action against then telecom minister.
“In September 2007, we had specifically written to office of telecom minister (A Raja), just in order to bring the matter to his notice. In reply to our communication, in 2009 Telecom ministry had come out with a lame reply by fixing responsibility on some local DoT officials, which our investigating official rejected,” CBI official.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}