CBI files chargesheet against Maran brothers

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed a charge sheet against the former Telecom Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others in the illegal telephone exchange case.

The chargesheet has been filed in a Special Court in Chennai under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and forgery and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, CBI said.

The CBI had registered a case in July 2013 on allegations of installing a number of high end telecommunication facilities at the residence of Maran "illegally" under service category and did not raise bills for the same during the period from 2004-07, which caused huge loss to the Government Exchequer.

The charge sheet was filed under sections 120-B reading with 409,467 and 471 of the IPC and section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(c) and (1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

It is learnt that a chargesheet has also been filed against K B Brahmanandam and MP Velusamy, both former chief general managers of Chennai Telephones, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited; V Gowthaman, then additional personal secretary to Dayanidhi Maran; S  Kannan, the chief technical assistant of Sun TV and KS Ravi, electrician of Sun TV.

The CBI, which alleges a loss of Rs. 1.78 crore to the exchequer, has invoked provisions under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.