SC stays HC’s order cancelling Maran’s bail

In a relief to former Telecom Minister and DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran, the Indian Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Madras High Court order cancelling his bail in the alleged telephone exchange case. A three-judge bench headed by Justice TS Thakur sought CBI’s response on Maran’s plea and questioned its decision to arrest him in a case registered in 2013.

“What were you doing for the last two years. Why you have not arrested BSNL officials... Political vendetta should not come in the picture. Less said, the better,” the bench said. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for CBI, then referred to the facts of the case to stress that it was a huge corruption case as the telephone lines installed at Maran’s residence were used for commercial purposes by their electronic media conglomerate SUN TV.

“If these corrupt actions are not covered, then what for there is Prevention of Corruption Act,” Rohatgi said. 

The Bench, which initially posed tough questions to Maran’s counsel, later turned the heat on CBI and questioned its insistence on custodial interrogation.