A special court for CBI case, on Thursday, framed charges against former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his elder brother and Sun group chairman Kalanithi Maran, and five others in the BSNL illegal telephone exchange case.
Former BSNL general manager K. Brahmanathan, former deputy general manager M.P. Velusamy, Mr. Dayanidhi Maran’s private secretary Gauthaman and two other staff of Sun TV group are the other accused in the case.
Though the special CBI court in last March had discharged all accused in the case, holding that there was no prima facie case against them, the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court directed them to face the trial and directed the trial court to frame charges against them.
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Mr. Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Mr. Kalanithi Maran and other accused appeared before the CBI special court Judge R. Vasanthi on Thursday morning. The Judge read out the charges against them, and they pleaded not guilty.
Ms. Vasanthi adjourned the matter for further proceeding to September 14.