Centre challenges relief for Marans in High Court over MSO licence

 In a setback for former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi Maran, the union government on Tuesday filed an appeal in the Madras High Court challenging relief to Multi System Operator, Kal Cables by a single judge of the court.

The Union Ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Home challenged Justice V Ramasubramanian's last year order which had set aside the Centre's directive cancelling Multi System Operator licence for Kal Cables owned by the Maran families.

A division bench, comprising Justice Sathish K Agnihotri and Justice M Venugopal before which the appeal came up on Tuesday, adjourned the matter to July 1 after issuing notice to Kal Cables Private Limited.

In the appeal, the Centre said that the licence to Kal Cables was given on a condition that it should get security clearance from the Union Home Ministry.

As the security clearance was rejected by the Home Ministry, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had no other option except to cancel the <g data-gr-id="16">license</g> for Multi System Operator, it said.

Invoking principles of natural justice does not arise as Kal Cables has not complied with an essential condition of security clearance from Home Ministry, the Centre contended.