Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran resigned from the Union Cabinet

Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran on 7 July 2011 resigned from the Union Cabinet. He tendered his resignation following allegations by businessman C Sivasankaran that he misused his position as telecom minister from 2004 to 2007 and sought favours for granting a telecom licence.

Sivasankaran told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that he was forced to sell his telecom business. CBI had submitted a 71-page status report on the scam probe in the Supreme Court which mentioned this allegation by Sivasankaran.

Telecommunications Minister Kapil Sibal, who is looking at the legal aspects of the 2G scam, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apprise him about the facts of the case.

The shares of Sun TV, a company owned by the Maran family and listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, fell 8 per cent when maran resigned on 7 July. On the National Stock Exchange, the shares fell to Rs 305, before recovering to end the day at Rs 323.20, down Rs 10.15, or 3.04 per cent.

Dayanidhi’s brother Kalanithi Maran is the chairman and managing director of Sun TV, one of the largest media and entertainment companies in south India. The Sun TV network and a cable distribution network called Sumangali, owned by the Maran brothers, used to be at the centre of the DMK propaganda in Tamil Nadu.

Looking Back

Dayanidhi Maran was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from Chennai (Central) constituency on 13 May 2004.

Maran joined Cabinet as minister for communications and information technology on 26 May 2004.

He resigned from the Cabinet due to differences with the DMK chief on 15 May 2007.
Maran got re-elected to the Lok Sabha on 27 May 2009.

On 29 May 2009 he re-enters the Cabinet as textiles minister.

Maran resigned again due to alleged irregularities during his tenure as telecom minister on 7 July 2011