The CBI has decide to go ahead with its investigations into the allegations of 300 telephone lines allotted to the residence of Dayanidhi Maran’s residence in Chennai. These lines allotted in the name of a BSNL General Manager during Maran’s tenure as telecom minister were linked to Sun TV owned by his brother. 

The agency has recommended action to telecom secretary in 2007 but the department allegedly did not give its nod in the case, they said.

CBI has now decided to file a preliminary inquiry in the case against unknown persons, they said.

The sources said these lines were not ordinary telephone lines but more costly ISDN, capable of carrying huge data thus facilitating faster transmission of TV news and programmes across the globe.

CBI in its report to the telecom secretary has alleged these lines are used by medium to large commercial enterprises to meet special needs such as video conferencing, transmission of huge volume of digital data for which heavy price is to be paid but allegede that Sun TV got it for free because of Maran.

It said that this virtual exchange was programmed in such a way that except "authorised BSNL staff" no one in the state-owned telecom company was aware of its existence.

The CBI alleged that a stealth cable was used to connect the residence of the minister with Sun TV office to give impression that these lines were for the minister but actually they were used by the channel.