Taking cognizance of a recent complaint filed by filmmaker and producer Shakthi Chidambaram, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police on Wednesday registered a case against Sun network boss Kalanithi Maran and three managers of the group.
The case was registered under sections 294(b) (abusing), 352 (punishment for assault or criminal force), 420 (cheating), and 506 (II) (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Chidambaram, in his complaint, to City Police Commissioner S George alleged that Maran, chairman and managing director of Sun TV Network Limited, had not repaid his dues amounting to `6.75 crore and issued threats.
He alleged that Maran failed to honour a written agreement for payment for the satellite broadcast rights for the Vijay-starrer Kavalan, which Sun TV had purchased from him for `5.5 crore. He had received only `2.75 crore so far, he said.
Similarly, the director had paid `4 crore to Maran for getting the screening rights of Rajinikanth-starrer Enthiran in the Chengalpattu area.
The Sun TV group allegedly sold the overall screening rights to another distributor and did not return Chidambaram’s money, the complaint said.
Chidambaram alleged that the Sun group’s managers Sembian, R M Ramesh, and Kannan, acting on Maran’s instructions, assaulted him and threatened him for seeking the pending payments.
Earlier in the day, the Madras High Court had restrained the Central Crime Branch police from arresting or harassing Maran and others.
The court’s order was in connection with a criminal case registered against them last week.
Justice A Arumughaswamy granted the relief while passing interim orders on the petitions from Maran, RMR Ramesh and Kannan. The judge directed the CCB not to harass, not to arrest and not to summon any of them till December 18.
The petitions would be taken up for further hearing on that date, the judge said and ordered notices, also to the CCB.