CHENNAI: THE multi-crore illegal telephone exchange case has been foisted on us due to lack of basic technical understanding by the CBI officials, former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi Maran told the Special Court for CBI cases on Saturday.
“The allegation that there were 700 telephone lines was wrong. As the then Telecom Minister 10 lines alone were provided at Dayanidhi Maran’s residence, originally at Gopalapuram, later in the Boat Club area. The CBI had failed to understand the latest technology. If they have understood, they would not have pursued this case,” their senior counsel Kapil Sibal and ARL Sundresh told the court.
Recording the submissions the court posted the plea to discharge them from the case, to February 8, when the CBI would submit its contentions.
According to the CBI, during the check period of June 2004 to December 2006, when he was the Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Dayanidhi misused his official position and installed a private telephone exchange at his residences in Chennai and utilised the facility for business transactions involving Sun Network.
He had thereby caused a loss of `1.78 crore to the exchequer. More than 700 telecom lines had been installed at their residences in Boat Club and Gopalapuram in Chennai, the agency charged. Among the accused were former BSNL general manager K Brahmnathan, former deputy general manager M P Velusamy and Dayanidhi Maran’s private secretary Gauthaman.
What the case was
According to the CBI, during the check period of June 2004 to December 2006, when he was a Union Minister, Dayanidhi installed a private telephone exchange at his residences in Chennai and utilised the facility for business transactions involving Sun Network.