Sun TV to go off air after home ministry denies security clearance

June 08, 2015 09:50

Kalanithi Maran-owned Sun TV will go off air on Monday after their broadcasting licence was cancelled following denial of security clearance by the Union home ministry to 33 television channels of the Sun Network.

The decision of the Home Ministry was believed to have been influenced by pending criminal cases against Maran and his brother and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, official sources said.

The Maran brothers are facing a CBI probe over alleged allotment of 300 high-speed BSNL telephone lines to the residence of former Communications and Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran in Chennai which were extended to his brothers channel.

There are two other pending criminal probes against Sun TV Network and its owner Kalanithi Maran -- CBI's Aircel-Maxis case and an Enforcement Directorate case of money laundering.

The Sun TV Network is one of Indias largest media groups whose TV channels reach more than 95 million households in India.

The Network had applied to the information and broadcasting ministry for renewing its broadcasting licence for 10 years. The process required security clearance from the home ministry.

Earlier, the Home Ministry had denied security clearance to 40 FM radio stations run by the Sun Network, prompting Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley to write to Home Minister Rajnath Singh in April, seeking a review of the decision.

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