CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday strongly opposed the discharge applications moved by former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran and his elder brother
Kalanidhi Maran
in a four-year-old
illegal telephone exchange case.
Contending that the agency had filed a chargesheet against Maran brothers and other accused in the case only after a thorough investigation and that all the charges framed against them were supported by material and documentary evidences, the CBI wanted the special court for CBI cases to dismiss the discharge applications moved by the duo.
Besides this, the agency had filed additional affidavits supporting their claims, it said.
As the counsels for Maran brothers sought time to file their reply for the additional affidavits, XIV additional judge for CBI cases S Natarajan adjourned the case to November 21 for further hearing.
The court also allowed applications moved by the duo seeking to dispense with their appearance on Friday.
According to the CBI, Dayanidhi Maran, during the check period of June 2004 to December 2006, when he was the Union minister for communication and information technology, misused his office and installed a private telephone exchange at his residences in Chennai and utilised the facility for business transactions involving Sun Network.
It said he had caused a loss of Rs 1.78 crore to the exchequer. More than 700 telecom lines had been installed at their residences in Boat Club and Gopalapuram in Chennai, the agency charged.
Among the accused were former BSNL general manager K Brahmnathan, former deputy general manager M P Velusamy and Dayanidhi Maran's private secretary Gauthaman.