File Picture: Kalanithi Maran
The Sun TV network's petition against the attachment of its property by the Enforcement Directorate suffered a setback on Wednesday after the Madras high court dismissed it.
The attachment of assets is linked to the Aircel-Maxis deal of 2006, which is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The court said since the case is being heard by the Supreme Court, it could not interfere. The court has asked the Group to move the top court in the matter.
In April, the Enforcement Directorate had attached bank deposits and properties worth more than Rs 750 crore belonging to Kalanithi Maran, the brother of former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, who is also the owner of the Sun Group.
According to the CBI, Mr Maran, as Union Telecom Minister, had misused his office to engineer the sale of telecom Aircel to Malaysia's Maxis Group in 2006.
It has been alleged that Maxis paid a bribe of more than Rs 700 crore -- a part of which was allegedly invested in a company that is part of the Sun Group.
The Enforcement Directorate has also filed a case of money-laundering against the Marans.