Information and Broadcasting Ministry is awaiting opinion from the Law Ministry on what action it should take against the 33 channels of the Sun TV group after the Home Ministry denied security clearance to them.
Pending criminal cases against Sun TV chairman Kalanithi Maran and his brother and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, are said to be the reasons for denial of security clearance.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kalanithi Maran has asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene, saying his company was never involved in any anti-national or criminal activity.
In a letter, Mr. Maran said clearance was reportedly denied on the ground of proceedings involving Sun Direct TV Private Ltd pending before the CBI and the ED. He charged that his company had been singled out.
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“There are several TV and FM Radio companies, including some controlled by very large business conglomerates, which among them have pending cases involving 2G spectrum, corporate espionage at the Ministry of Petroleum, corruption involving disproportionate assets and extortions. Security clearances for these media companies have not besen revoked,” he said.