Maran's duty to prove his innocence: Pon Radhakrishnan

A day after CBI chargesheeted former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran for alleged misuse of high speed data lines, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan today said the case was not a new one or filed during the BJP regime, and insisted that it was the DMK leader's duty to prove his innocence.

There was no point criticising the ruling BJP at the Centre on the matter "as this was a pending case", he said.

"This case was filed before BJP government came to power.

It was a pending case. That being the case, there is no point criticising the government," he told reporters at the airport here.

Maran, who yesterday claimed that he had done no wrong, had said "an FIR that was filed 4 years ago and had been gathering dust has suddenly been revived now. I don't know the true background behind this. I have full faith in judiciary and I am ready to face the case legally ... whatever the motive behind it," he had said.

Maran was chargesheeted by the CBI for using high-speed data lines provided by state-run companies for the benefit of a TV channel run by his brother.

Radhakrishnan also said that if Dayanidhi Maran felt he was innocent, "then it is his duty" to prove so, in a court.