CBI plea seeking custody of 3 accused in illegal telephone

The Madras High Court today dismissed a petition filed by CBI seeking custodial interrogation of the three persons arrested by the agency in the case relating to the alleged illegal telephone exchange set up at the residence of former Union Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran.
Justice R Mala in her order said the affidavit by CBI was not in accordance with the Criminal rules of Practice and bereft of details for questioning the accused.
She noted that the three had already been interrogated by CBI before and after their arrest at Delhi and Chennai. She further said no public servant of BSNL had been arrested in the case and said that no sufficient reasons were given in the affidavit for granting custody.

However, the judge said CBI could interrogate them in jail in the presence of prison officials.
The judge had earlier issued notice to the accused and posted the matter for further hearing today.
On January 27, the Special Judge for CBI cases Krishnamoorthy had dismissed a petition by CBI seeking custodial interrogation of the three Sun TV officials arrested on January 21 and remanded upto February 4.
CBI arrested S Kannan, Chief Technical Assistant, K S Ravi, Electrician and V Gouthaman, the then Additional Private Secretary of Dayanidhi Maran, in connection with alleged allotment of more than 300 illegal telephone connections.