Marans’ strategy? ‘If I go down, I will take you along’

Marans’ strategy? ‘If I go down, I will take you along’
Marans’ strategy? ‘If I go down, I will take you along’
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The Sun Group seems to be in a spot of trouble with news reports suggesting that the Ministry of Home Affairs has denied security clearance to the Sun TV network and recommended to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that the licenses be cancelled for all 33 TV channels of the group.The News Minute had earlier reported on a letter written by the chairman of the group Kalanithi Maran to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh stating that the grounds of denial of clearance are “untenable” and that Sun TV has been “singled-out”.Sun Group's strategy however seems clear from a detailed letter that Group CEO K Shanmugam has written to LC Goyal, Secretary of Home Affairs. In the letter, Shanmugam says, “We wish to bring to your attention the various criminal/slash economic offences cases/investigations that are pending against various media companies or its directors/promotes/shareholders.”The CEO of Sun Group has attached a stack of media reports on cases against various media companies and their promoters.He has also attached a list of the media outlets that were under the scanner for different violations.The document lists the name of the channels, its promoters, cases against them and the charges under which the group was liable for prosecution.A copy of the document which exists with The News Minute, mentions news channels including CNN IBN and IBN 7 which are owned by Reliance Industries. The text adds that several officials of RIL, ADAG, Essar and Cairns have been accused and apprehended in a corporate espionage case.The Sun Group has also not hesitated in mentioning other channels from Tamil Nadu either. Mavis Satcom Limited, which runs Jaya TV among a host of other channels named after the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister figures for charges of bribery booked against it by the CBI in 2012. Alliance Broadcasting Pvt Ltd, which is behind News 7 is also on the list for bribery charges.Oriya channel Kamyab TV is on the list too for its CMD’s involvement in the Saradha scam. Positiv Television Pvt Ltd, which broadcasts Focus News also finds itself on page 3 of the four-page-document with regard to the aforementioned scam.Zee News of the Zee Media Corporation Ltd. finds a mention and Sun Group CEO mentions a case of “cheating and criminal conspiracy” against its propreitor. Several entertainment channels including BIG FM and BIG TV of the Reliance Group are included too.A sum-total of 17 promoters including Multi Screen Media who run Sony TV and Set Max have found their way into the document with groups like Sahara and Bharti Airtel also featured.The letters written by both Maran and Shanmugam seem to be asking the same thing to both the Ministry of Home Affairs and Information & Broadcasting ministry, why single us out when there are cases against other corporate honchos.  

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