JOIN USWith his 33 TV channels staring at closure, chairman of SUN TV Kalanithi Maran has asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene on the issue of denial of security clearance to the network saying his company was never involved in any anti-national or criminal activity.
In a letter, Maran said he has come to know that the security clearance to his 33 channels was denied on the ground of ongoing proceedings in the case involving Sun Direct TV Private Ltd pending before CBI and ED, which he termed as "untenable" and that his company has been singled out.
"There are several TV and FM Radio companies, including some controlled by very large business conglomerates, which among them have pending cases involving 2G spectrum, corporate espionage at the Ministry of Petroleum, corruption involving disproportionate assets and extortions. Security clearances for these media companies have not been revoked," he said.
The letter came after the Home Ministry rejected an I&B Ministry's proposal for giving security clearance to 33 television channels of Maran-promoted Sun TV Network, a move that could lead to cancellation of their broadcasting licence.
Maran said most of the TV companies have criminal cases pending against them or against their directors or promoters or their group companies but only his company has been singled out and security clearance denied.
"All telecom companies were allowed to bid for the recent 3G/4G spectrum auctions despite pending cases registered earlier by CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Power companies that lost their coal block allocations were allowed to participate in the recent auctions although they have ongoing cases by CBI and ED," he said in the letter.