CBI seeks custody of Dayanidhi Maran in illegal telephone exchange case

New Delhi: The CBI on Thursday reiterated in the Supreme Court its plea to arrest former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran for custodial interrogation in the '764 lines illegal telephone exchange’ case.

In a fresh affidavit the CBI said “The custodial examination of Mr. Maran is required to ascertain the actual usage of these lines for the benefit of SUN TV which is in his exclusive knowledge. There is evidence of forging/ tampering and manipulation of records and custodial interrogation is necessary to ascertain the modus operandi of the usage of the illegal telephone exchange, to ascertain the actual usage and consequential loss to the public exchequer.”

A bench of Justices T.S. Thakur and V. Gopala Gowda posted the matter for further hearing on November 27 to enable Mr. Maran to file his rejoinder to CBI’s affidavit. The Bench had already stayed the Madras High Court order canceling his anticipatory bail.

The CBI said that Maran had 764 telephone lines under service category which were used for the benefit of his brother’s Sun TV. There is evidence on record to substantiate the allegations that the petitioner in criminal conspiracy with the CGMs of BSNL illegally obtained these 764 telephone numbers under service category. No approval of DOT was obtained willfully for any of these connections.