Exchange case: CBI opposes Marans’ discharge plea

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday opposed the discharge applications moved by former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran and his elder brother and media tycoon Kalanidhi Maran in the illegal telephone exchange case.

The investigative agency urged the CBI special court to dismiss the discharge petition filed by the Marans arguing that it had filed a charge sheet 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 evidence.

Additional judge for the CBI cases S Natarajan adjourned the case to November 21 for further hearing after the counsels for Maran brothers sought time to file their reply for the additional affidavits. The judge also allowed applications moved by the duo seeking to dispense with their appearance on Friday.

After commencing probe in 2011, the CBI filed FIR in October 2013 against the Maran brothers on the allegations of setting up telephone exchange, which was used to transfer high-resolution data, and did not raise bills for the same from 2004 to 2006, and thereby causing a loss of Rs 1.78 crore to the exchequer. The charge sheet was filed on December 9, last year.

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