CHENNAI: The article “Minister steals a telephone exchange, loots BSNL” (TNIE June 1, 2011) was entirely based on CBI’s secret report on Dayanidhi Maran’s home telephone exchange in every respect — except one. And that is, the figure of loss of Rs 440 crores in the article was estimated for the 323 stolen ISDN connections on the basis of the extent of use of phone no 24371515, given in the CBI report. So, the outburst of Maran against The New Indian Express group is amusing at best, and ridiculous at worst.Why? One, he cannot deny that the CBI, which has reported on his wrong doings, is his own government’s agency. Two, the inquiry was instituted by the CBI acting suo motu; therefore it was no political hand moving against Maran in ‘wilderness’. Three, he has to answer his government’s CBI’s report instead of faulting The New Indian Express which did nothing other than making it public.Maran’s claim to innocence rests on a letter (dated 6.4.2009) issued by V Meenalochiny, General Manager (OP) Chennai Telephones. This was in response to Maran’s letter sent couple of days before. The substance of the BSNL letter is this: One, “only one BSNL connection was provided” at his Boat Club residence to Maran when he was the Telecom Minister; two, that “only phone allotted was 24371500 ISDN-BRA” and “no other BSNL connection was provided” at Maran’s home till date; three, as an MP, Maran was allowed 4,50,000 call units on that number for three years but he had used just 1/3 of it. So far from pilfering billions of calls, Maran has not even used his quota of calls as an MP. Brandishing Meenalochiny’s letter, Maran asserted that TNIE story that 323 BSNL lines were installed in his home is false. Examine this claim now. The CBI report gives the specific numbers of the 323 BSNL ISDN lines installed in Maran’s Boat Club home. But, Meenalochiny’s letter says only one line — bearing 24371500 — and no other, was installed in his home. If what she says is untrue, Maran’s defence collapses. Here is the evidence that clinches that Meenalochiny’s letter is incorrect. Go to Chennai Telephones directory inquiry search at http://210.212.240.244: 8181/CIPDQ.aspx. And type ‘Dayanidhi Maran MP’ in the name column and click. You will get this: Telephone No: 24371515; DAYANIDHI MARAN MP; 3/1, BOAT CLUB 1ST AVENUE, RA PURAM, CHENNAI, 600028. Note the number that appears. It is 24371515. But Meenalochiny mentions only 24371500 — not 24371515 - in Maran’s home. Now go to the same web page. Fill the name as ‘CGM Chennai Telephones’ with the Boat Club address of Maran. You will get this: Telephone No: 24371500; CGM CHENNAI TELEPHONES RES OF 3/1, BOAT CLUB 1ST AVENUE, RA PURAM, CHENNAI. 600028. So, it is incorrect to say that only one BSNL line was installed in Maran’s home. The BSNL line, 24371500, is not in Maran’s home, but in the name of CGM Chennai Telephones. The other line installed in Maran’s home and name even today is 24371515. This destroys Meenalochiny’s claim that only 24371500 is installed in Maran’s home. More. The number 24371515 is no ordinary number. The CBI talks about the criticality of this number thus: “As a sample study it is learnt that 48,72,027 units of calls have emanated from one telephone No 24371515 in the month of March, 2007 alone, which is indicative of massive multi-media transfer in the underlying connections.” Even granting she was under pressure to respond within 48 hrs, Meenalochiny could not have missed this No 24371515, because, first, out of the 323 lines, this number has been tracked by the CBI for its use and, next, it appears on the Chennai Telephones website even today. Why was this omitted then? Because mentioning this number means admitting the CBI case. And more. The CBI has unearthed the fact that with ‘2437’ as the common first four digits a mini-home telephone exchange with 323 lines was created at Maran’s home and that, by a secret underground cable, they were linked to SUN TV. In the entire Chennai Telephones only 323 lines have ‘2437’ as the common first four digits. If Meenalochiny is correct, there was, even now there is, only one line in the whole Chennai Telephones circle which starts with ‘2437’! Why such an exclusive number without any companion numbers for Maran only? Only she can explain the deficits in her letter; or Maran who relies on her letter to prove his honesty. Meenalochiny is now not GM (OP), but she is still in Chennai Telephones only. All attempts to reach her, as advised by Maran, by SMS and calls proved futile. More. The CBI report says that there are 23 lines with ‘2437’ as the first four digits with the following numbers, namely, 2211 to 2213 (3 lines); 2222; 2233; 2244 to 2246 (3 lines); 2255 to 2257 (3 lines); 2266 to 2268 (3 lines); 2277 to 2279 (3 lines); 2288 to 2290 (3 lines); 2290; 2299; 2300; 2301; it also says that there are 300 lines with the same ‘2437’ as the first four digits followed by the next four digits starting with 1500 and ending with 1799, for the 300 lines. Obviously the CBI has not fabricated these numbers. They existed. But where are they now? Why did Maran forget the No 24371515, which is listed in Maran’s name as MP in his Boat Club home, which, in March 2007 alone, clocked over 48 lakh call units? Is it because not he, but, as the CBI says, SUN TV used it? Is Maran listening? Now Maran is welcome to file his suit against TNIE. But, there is a lesson for those in Maran’s position. It is better to be silent than tell lies to confront truth.
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