Deposition revealed the presence of three exchanges
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The arrests of V Gowthaman, former additional private secretary to
Dayanidhi Maran, S Kannan, chief technical officer of Sun TV and K S
Ravi, electrician with the television channel happened following the
deposition by former Sun network top honchos.
It is learnt that Former Kalaignar TV managing director and a former
senior executive of Sun Network Sharad Kumar and former Sun TV vice
president (programming) and Chief operating officer of Sun Pictures
Hansraj Saxena spilled the beans during interrogation by CBI on the
clandestine operation of telephone exchange from their houses in
Anderson Road and College Road in Nungambakkam.
While Sharad Kumar could not be contacted, Saxena told Express from
Singapore that the interrogation was not only about the clandestine
operation of telephone exchange in Boat house or at Sun TV office. “It
was also about the exchange being operated from Sharad Kumar’s house
in Anderson Road as well as my house in College Road,” said Saxena.
Expressing concern about the arrest of his former colleagues with whom
he shared a 25-year relationship, he said had they spoken the truth,
they wouldn’t have been arrested.
Saxena said that he had to spill the beans to save his skin. “I don’t
have anything against Marans or my former collegues. The CBI had all
the information. I have either to say “yes” or “No”,” he said.
“Kannan as well as Ravi were the ones who installed the telephone
equipment at Sharad Kumar’s house. After Sharad left the organization,
the equipment was shifted to my house. I admitted to the presence of
illegal exchange to save my skin,” said Sharad.
He said the three persons may have been arrested as they have not told
the truth to CBI besides they were the ones dealing with the telephone
equipment.
He said the cables or lines were either underground or overhead along
the seven kilometer stretch. He said that he did not have any idea
about how the equipment worked. “Only the technical department was
aware of it,” he said.
To a query on whether, he was tortured by CBI, Saxena said they have
all the information. The investigation was very simple. “you either
have to say “yes’ or ‘No’. “I tried to evade their query but they have
all the information on hand. So to save my skin, I had to tell the
truth,” he said.
When Express tried to contact chairman and managing director of BSNL,
Anupam Shrivastava on the total loss BSNL accrued due to the setting
up of illegal exchange,he said the issue is being taken care by
department of telecommunications.
As per the initial investigations done by CBI, the loss to BSNL
through the illegal telephone exchange was worked at Rs 440 crore.
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