CHENNAI /NEW DELHI / HYDERABAD: The CBI Monday raided the residences and offices of DMK leader and former union minister Dayanidhi Maran and his elder brother Kalanithi Maran in connection with the 2G scam, but the party remained silent on the issue.The Maran brothers are grand-nephews of DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi.Karunanidhi is on tour to Tiruchirapalli, around 320 km from here, to campaign for K.N. Nehru in the ensuing bye-election to the state assembly.Karunanidhi's son M.K. Tamilarasu came to the residence of Dayanidhi Maran on hearing about the raid, but was not allowed inside.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids across three cities, searching the premises of Marans and also Apollo Hospital director Suneeta Reddy. A first information report (FIR) was also registered against the Maran brothers.Dayanidhi Maran is under the CBI scanner following a complaint by industrialist C. Sivasankaran that he was forced to exit mobile telephone company Aircel by Maran, the then communications minister.Sivasankaran alleged that Aircel was not given telecom licences and he was forced to sell his holdings to Malaysia-based Maxis group, owned by T. Ananda Krishnan.The CBI Sunday registered a case against Maran brothers under the Prevention of Corruption Act, a CBI official said in Delhi.An FIR was also registered against Ralph Marshall, CEO of Astra TV that invested in Sun TV, T. Ananda Krishnan, and three private companies -- Sun Direct TV, Astro All Asia Networks and Maxis Communications.CBI officials in Chennai said that a team from New Delhi was conducting the searches. The raids were conduced at Dayanidhi Maran's premises in Chennai and Delhi, and the Sun Network offices in Hyderabad.Suneeta Reddy, whose premises were raided at Chennai and Hyderabad, is the daughter of Pratap Reddy -- the founder of Apollo Hospitals.Suneeta Reddy, who was chairperson of Aircel in 2005, was questioned by the CBI last month. She has stakes in Sindya Securities and Investments, which holds 26 percent share in Aircel.Apollo Hospitals, however, had clarified that the investments of Sindya Securities and Investments Pvt. Ltd. in Aircel were in compliance with Indian laws.The CBI is also investigating another case related to the provision of over 320 residential telephone lines, sort of a mini telephone exchange, at the residence of Dayanidhi Maran.It is alleged that the lines were linked to Sun TV's office and used for data transfer. The line was in the name of general manager, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).Dayanidhi Maran was heading the communications ministry between 2004-2007.The Maran brothers live in the posh Boat Club locality in Chennai.The Maran brothers are the other close relatives of Karunanidhi to be questioned by the CBI in connection with the 2G scam.Earlier in March, Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi and his second wife Dayalu Ammal were questioned by the CBI in Chennai in connection with Rs.214 crore received by Kalaignar TV, in which a majority stake is owned by Karunanidhi's family, from DB Realty group of companies.Kanimozhi is in jail now charged as co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum scam alongwith former communications minister A. Raja.
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