SC stays High Court order cancelling Maran's bail

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Madras High Court order cancelling former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran's anticipatory bail. Issuing notice to the CBI, the court asked the probe agency to respond to Maran's challenge in two weeks. The court posted the next hearing on September 14.

Justice TS Thakur asked whether political vendetta was behind the push for Maran’s arrest. Asking the CBI whether it was trying to fix him, the Supreme Court asked, “Why the CBI need to arrest man for 1 crore pending phone bill. When FIR was filed in 2013, why didn't you make any arrest? What were you doing for nearly three years”.

"In NRHM scam in UP, there is a loss of Rs. 800 crore public money. But not a single arrest. Here you want to arrest for 1 crore phone bill dues. Are you trying to get at him?" asked Justice Thakur to the CBI.

“If you think the phone lines were fixed as part of conspiracy, question him, question the BSNL officials. Why arrest him?", he said.

"Is



it a matter of prestige for you to arrest him? Nobody should get away after causing public loss. .. but custodial interrogation?. How did you assess the 1-crore loss? You say no bills were raised. Anyway he is willing to pay? You raise the bill now and he will pay up" , Justice Thakur said.

Immediately, Shyam Diwan, appearing for Maran said "There is no criminality in this case, only monetary claim. We will pay if any dues".

However the A-G argued that was a corruption case and said "Maran used clout in government to fix lines for use of the huge media house his family-runs Sun TV".

"We want his custody to prove the conspiracy involving Maran, Sun TV network and BSNL", the A-G appealed.

"People overstay in official bungalows... can you call that corruption?, Justice Thakur asked the CBI

"Why should anticipatory bail not be allowed in economic offence cases? You have to explain your objection", Justice V. Gopala Gowda asked the CBI.