SC asks Maran to appear before CBI

The efforts of the Central Bureau of Investigation towards custodial interrogation of Dayanidhi Maran, former telecom Minister and brother of media moghul Kalanidhi Maran, were struck down by a Supreme Court bench that concluded that a summon-and-inquire investigation was enough. "In the meantime, we direct the petitioner to appear before CBI...", it said while admitting the plea of Maran for final hearing.
The court also extended protection against arrest to Maran, while asking him to appear before the CBI from 11 am to 5 pm from Monday. Maran is being investigated for corruption into the alleged telephone exchange scam, the CBI had earlier told the apex court that Maran wasn't cooperating with them and that his custodial interrogation was must. The High Court had on August 10 cancelled Maran's interim anticipatory bail and directed him to surrender before CBI in three days, holding that "prima facie" Maran had "misused" his office by obtaining phone connections illegally and the charges against him were backed by material. When Singhvi said Maran was willing to pay back the Rs 1.2 crore in alleged losses with liberty to defend the allegations in the trial court, the attorney-general opposed the suggestion. "Why does a Minister require so many connections", Justice Thakur repeatedly asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and advocate Sumesh Dhawan, who represented Mr. Maran. Singhvi asserted that there was no criminality because as a minister, Maran was entitled to certain privileges, and denied the telephone lines were used to benefit the family-owned Sun TV group. At this, the bench said: "Why don't you give him (Maran) a questionnaire?" The then Chief General Manager of BSNL has said that the telephone exchange was set up on the oral order of the former minister, he added. "Have you questioned the BSNL officers accused here?" The CBI has registered an FIR against Maran and others alleging that as the Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology he had entered into a criminal conspiracy with officials of the BSNL and by abusing their official positions, caused a huge financial loss and wrongful loss to the exchequer to the tune of Rs. 1.78 crore. In response, Mr. Rohatgi produced documents purportedly showing that the lines were installed on the "verbal orders" of Mr. Maran. Then turning to Mr. Maran's side, Justice Thakur said: "Please co-operate". "Are you attempting to fix him?" Seating Chair - Independent NEWS Agency - SeatingChair.com http://seatingchair.com/2015/12/12/sc-asks-maran-to-appear-before-cbi-46646.html

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