Maran in cabinet meeting, resignation not on agenda
July 7th, 2011 - 2:59 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) As the clamour for his resignation grew, Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran attended a cabinet meeting Thursday, a day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged that he had forced telecom promoter C. Sivasankaran to sell his Aircel stake to the Maxis group considered close to his family.
The cabinet didn’t discuss the Maran issue even as the opposition has been demanding his resignation following the charges.
“Dayanidhi Maran attended the cabinet meeting as we all of us did. There was no separate discussion about him (in the meeting),” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.
Asked about speculation that Maran separately met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh following the cabinet meeting, Soni refused to “indulge in any discourse” on it but said “cabinet meetings take place without a break and there are no sidelines”.
“Adequate briefings” are held by ministers of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on different issue, Soni said, adding that she was speaking only on decisions taken in the cabinet meeting.
The CBI Wednesday told the Supreme Court that evidence suggested Maran had misused his office when he was IT and communication minister from 2004-07 to force the sale of Aircel to the Malaysia-based Maxis group.
Maxis allegedly bought 74 percent stake in Aircel and the company was later allotted more telecom circles to operate in.
Maxis Communication, through its subsidiary Astro, allegedly invested around Rs.600 crore in Sun DTH belonging to the Sun TV Network owned by Maran’s family.
The minister has denied the charge, but with the investigative agency stepping up the heat, he will be under greater pressure to resign.
- Maran quits as minister after 2G scam involvement (Second Lead) - Jul 07, 2011
- CBI to question Dayanidhi Maran soon - Jul 07, 2011
- Triggering speculation, Maran meets PM - Jun 30, 2011
- 2G claims another minister: Maran quits (Roundup) - Jul 07, 2011
- Maran closeted with party colleagues, set to fly to Chennai - Jul 07, 2011
- 2G scam: CBI points finger at Maran, seeks more time (Second Lead) - Jul 07, 2011
- Explain Maran fiasco, opposition to PM - Jul 07, 2011
- Maran quits as textiles minister - Jul 07, 2011
- Maran will be dropped if probe points finger - Jun 25, 2011
- Was forced to sell Aircel stake, Sivasankaran tells CBI - Jun 06, 2011
- 2G claims another minister: Maran quits, DMK crisis deepens (Evening Lead) - Jul 07, 2011
- Opposition parties ask PM to explain Maran fiasco (Lead) - Jul 07, 2011
- Sun TV shares down after Maran quits as textiles minister - Jul 07, 2011
- Maran denies forcing Sivasankaran to exit Aircel (Lead) - Jun 06, 2011
- CBI raids Marans, DMK silent - Oct 10, 2011
Tags: ambika soni, briefings, cabinet meeting, cabinet meetings, cbi, central bureau of investigation, clamour, crore, dayanidhi maran, investigative agency, manmohan, manmohan singh, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, progressive alliance, resignation, sidelines, sun dth, sun tv network, telecom circles