CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Wednesday refused to stall trial proceedings in connection with the illegal telephone
exchange
case pending against former Union minister
Dayanidhi Maran
and his elder brother Kalanidhi Maran.
Justice A D
Jagadish Chandira refused to pass any interim order staying the proceedings before the special court for CBI cases while adjourning the hearing of pleas moved by Maran brothers and five others challenging the charges framed against them by the trial court.
Their primary contention was that the court has framed the charges based on the opinion of the investigating officer and not on materials available on record.
Earlier, representing Dayanidhi, senior counsel Neeraj Kishan Kaul submitted that the charges framed were lame and liable to be quashed.
Noting that the CBI was wrong in alleging that the former minister held telephone connections more than that are legally permitted, Kaul said, "The restriction to have only three connections will apply only to Members of Parliament as per the Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament Act, it does not apply to a cabinet minister. There is no statutory bar for a minister to have more than three telephone service connections."
Denying the submissions, additional solicitor general G Rajagopalan contended that the charges have been framed in accordance with the procedure.