'A Raja, Kanimozhi and Me, All Were Victims of False Cases': Dayanidhi Maran After Acquittal in Telephone Exchange Scam

New Delhi: Former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, who was acquitted by a special CBI court in the illegal telephone exchange case, said on Wednesday that the DMK was made a victim in several false cases but the truth has finally prevailed.

Speaking exclusively to CNN-News 18’s Zakka Jacob, Maran said it may have taken eight to nine years for the truth to come out, but his stand has been vindicated.

“I said that there’s no case against me. All the cases foisted on us were false and these two cases never even went for trial. They were found not fit for trial. So you can understand how false they were, how weak they were, they were foisted on us for political reasons, professional jealously and to ensure that they bring bad name to me and my party," he said.

A special CBI court had discharged the Maran brothers — Dayanidhi and Kalanithi — and five others in the case, citing lack of evidence. The special public prosecutor accused Dayanidhi of having installed a private telephone exchange with 764 telephone lines at his residence to facilitate illegal uplink of SUN TV data, causing a loss of Rs 1.78 crore to state-run telecom majors BSNL, Chennai and MTNL, Delhi.

He also blamed the media for not giving him an opportunity to share his side of the story.

“I think media should take equal blame. Not one media house wanted to look at the other side. There are two sides to every case. They wanted to defame me and they were successful. I was a victim of media trying to defame me and not even giving me an opportunity to come and say my side of the story," he said.

“I had my chance in both the Patiala court and CBI court where I could express the truth and both the cases never even went for trial," he added

He drew a parallel to the 2G scam case, in which DMK’s A Raja and Kanimozhi were acquitted. “DMK was the victim. Be it A Raja or Kanimozhi or me. And the court has given us the justice," he said.

But he evaded questions on why the UPA failed to support him. “I do not want to comment on any of that. I can only talk on my behest and my party and my party has come out with flying colours now. What else do we need?" he asked.