BSNL Case: Madras HC dismisses Maran brothers' plea to quash charges

In a setback to former Union Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran, the Madras High Court on Friday dismissed their petitions along with that of three others, seeking quashing of all charges framed against them by a special court in the alleged illegal BSNL telephone exchange case.

Justice AD Jagadish Chandira remanded the matter to the special court for framing of charges in accordance with the law. It is worth mentioning that the petitioners had claimed that there were certain errors like framing of common charges against all the accused without any material to substantiate individual involvement in the case and they had sought quashing of chargers against them.

Maran brothers and five others were charged with illegally getting over 760 telephone connections when Dayanidhi Maran was the Union Telecom Minister. Earlier in July this year, the Madras High Court had set aside the lower court's order granting acquittal to the Maran brothers. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had moved the High Court in June this year, challenging the trial court's order.

The CBI in 2013 had filed a petition in this case against former chairman of Chennai BSNL, K.B. Brahmanathan and some others. The investigating agency alleged that former Union Minister had set up an illegal telephone exchange at his residence providing 764 high speed telephone lines of BSNL for doing business transactions involving Sun Networks, the channel which was owned by his brother Kalanithi Maran.