New Delhi: Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran’s continuation in the Cabinet looked shaky on Wednesday as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told the Supreme Court about his role in the 2G spectrum scam and his rivals, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, demanded his dismissal.
In a status report on the 2G spectrum case submitted to the apex court on Wednesday, the CBI pointed the finger at Maran for the delaying of telecom company Aircel’s application for 2G licence and forcing it to be sold to Malaysian company Maxis, when Maran was the Communications minister in 2006.
Sources said that the Congress leadership was watching the crucial developments and assessing the political fallout.
“Now it appears Maran is losing all chances. The understanding between the Congress and Maran’s DMK party was that Maran would have to go if the probe agencies or courts take cognizance of the allegations against him. With the CBI report today, that stage has come,” a Congress leader, who declined to be identified, said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Jayalalithaa, who was in the national capital for a meeting with the Planning Commission, lashed out at Maran and demanded his sacking.
“It is high time the prime minister dropped Maran from the cabinet,” she told reporters.
The chief minister said the state government would order a probe into the allegation that Maran had facilitated unauthorised BSNL cables for the use of Sun Direct, the family-owned DTH company in Chennai.
The BJP also upped the ante and demanded the sacking of Maran. Party spokesperson Niramala Sitharaman told IANS: “Maran has no right to continue in the post for even a day.” The CBI on Wednesday told the apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly that it needed more time to complete its investigation in the 2G spectrum scam.
The court was told that the investigative agency would require time till Aug 31. (IANS)
