NEW DELHI: Though Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi supported the grant of security clearance to 33 channels of Kalanithi Maran-promoted Sun TV Network, saying the corruption cases being investigated against the network’s owner cannot be ground to deny it, the Home Ministry has said it doesn’t agree with his opinion.
“Cancellation can be legal only if there is a threat to security of nation,” the AG said. Countering it, Home Ministry officials said: “It is our firm belief that there is national security involved in it as it compromises India’s economic security.”
The officials also cited the Preamble of the UN Convention against Corruption. They said India too is part of it which clearly states that we are, “Concerned about the links between corruption and other forms of crime, in particular organized crime and economic crime, including money-laundering.”
“Economic security is not different from national security as defined by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The decision by the Home Ministry was made after careful consideration of relevant provisions of the UAPA vis-a-vis the offences being probed against the Maran brothers,” the officials added.
The AG’s opinion came after Information and Broadcasting Ministry approached the Law Ministry to seek its opinion on the issue.