'Illegal' phone exchange case: Framing of charges against Maran brothers deferred

Judge S Natarajan of Additional Court for CBI cases posted the matter to October 23 after the accused informed that they intend to file discharge petitions.

The court had on September 8 fixed for framing of charges in the case related to alleged misuse of 764 highspeed data lines of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) at the residence of Dayanidhi Maran when he was the telecom minister between 2004 and 2007 for Sun TV.

 When the matter came up today, Dayanidhi Maran, a DMK leader, and three other accused, including his former personal assistant V Gowthaman, appeared in the court.

 Kalanithi Maran's counsel filed a petition for dispensing with his personal appearance.

 Of the seven accused, Gouthaman and KS Ravi, an electrician with Sun TV, had already filed discharge petitions in the court.

 Counsels for the Maran brothers and others submitted that they wanted to file discharge petitions and sought time as such a plea cannot be moved after charges were framed.

 After hearing the submissions, the judge permitted others to file the discharge petitions and posted the matter to October 23 for further hearing.

 He also directed the CBI to file its counter on the discharge petitions filed by Gouthaman and Ravi.