Why should the former telecom minister get special concession, asks Additional Solicitor-General

In a setback to former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, the Madras High Court on Monday cancelled the six-week advance bail he was granted on June 30 in a CBI case relating to charges that he had an illegal telephone exchange functioning in his house while he was Telecom Minister in 2004-07.

Mr. Maran was, however, granted three days’ time to surrender before the Central investigation agency.

After hearing arguments from both the sides, Justice S. Vaidyanathan said, “I find that the petitioner [Dayanidhi Maran] has been involved in serious offences, wherein allegations of corruption, cheating and causing wrongful loss to the exchequer of the government to the tune of crores of rupees, have been attributed.”

The judge said: “I find prima facie the exact role of the petitioner being the Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, in misusing his office for his wrongful gain by obtaining telephone connections illegally in the name of BSNL officials…”

Maran gets three days to surrender

Soon after the Madras High Court judge pronounced the orders on Monday, cancelling the six-week advance bail granted to former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran on June 30, his counsel prayed for three days’ time to surrender.

Justice S. Vaidyanathan granted time till 4.30 p.m. on August 13 to surrender before the investigation agency in the CBI case relating to charges that Mr. Maran had an illegal telephone exchange functioning in his house while he was Telecom Minister in 2004-07.

Earlier the judge found “considerable force” in the Additional Solicitor-General’s contention that when a number of undertrials were languishing in jails even for petty offences, Mr. Maran should not be extended any special concession by enlarging him on bail, as serious allegations of corruption, cheating and causing wrongful loss to the exchequer have been made against him.

He said: “My judicial conscience prevented me from enlarging the petitioner on bail.”

Though Mr. Maran appeared before the CBI in Delhi on July 1, 2 and 3, the agency moved the court seeking cancellation of his bail, contending that he was not cooperating with the probe.

According to the prosecution, as the Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology between June 2004 and June 2007, Mr. Maran 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.

The prosecution alleged that the former Minister installed over 300 telephone connections in his residence in the name of the accused government servants to show these connections illegally under ‘service category’, thereby making no payments for the installation and rentals.

The CBI had charged that though the anticipatory bail was granted to him on the condition that he should co-operate with the investigation, “nothing could be elicited from him since he gave evasive answers.” It hence sought his custody for interrogation.