File photo of Mr Dayanidhi Maran.
Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran -- who has been accused of setting up an illegal telephone exchange with over 300 lines at his Chennai residence illegally for the benefit of Sun TV -- will be questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation today.
Mr Maran - who is already being investigated by the agency for allegedly misusing his office to help an industrialist from Malaysia buy Indian company Aircel -- has denied the allegations.
Sources in the CBI said the former minister had been called for questioning on Monday, but he skipped the meeting. Yesterday morning, he approached the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail.
The 323 telephone lines connected Mr Maran's boathouse residence in Chennai with the offices of Sun TV, owned by his brother Kalanithi Maran.
The lines were reportedly used illicitly by the channel to transfer huge amounts of data without paying for the service.
The agency said the system was devised in such a way that except for the "authorised BSNL staff" no one in the state-owned telecom company was aware of it. A stealth cable was used to connect the Minister's house the with Sun TV office.
The investigation in the case had started in 2011 -- nearly four years after the matter surfaced. In 2007, the agency had recommended action to then Telecom Secretary but the department allegedly did not take action.