CBI to grill 3 accused in jail in illegal exchange case

A special court here today allowed the CBI to interrogate for three days in jail the three persons, arrested and remanded to judicial custody in the illegal telephone exchange case in which former telecom minister Dayanaidhi Maran is the prime accused.
Passing orders on a petition by the CBI, Special Judge for CBI cases, J Krishnamoorthy allowed the agency to question V Gowthaman, former additional private secretary of Maran, and Chief Technical Officer S Kannan and electrcian L S Ravi of Sun TV network, lodged in the Puzhal Central Prison here after their arrest on January 21.
On February 2, Madras High Court, while rejecting CBI plea for custodial interrogation of the three, granted liberty to the agency to grill the three in jail premises in front of jail officials. CBI had moved the High Court after the special court rejected its prayer for custodial interrogation.

Complying with the High Court order, CBI today moved the special court for permission. Judge Krishnamoorthy said the interrogation should be conducted for three days from tomorrow between 10 AM and 1PM before the jail officials.
CBI has alleged more than 300 high-speed telephone lines were provided at Maran's residence and extended to his brother's SUN TV channel to enable its uplinking.
It has named Maran and BSNL officials in the FIR filed in October 2013 following a preliminary inquiry in which the agency claimed to have found enough material to proceed with a regular case against the former minister.