---
title: "Supreme Court Sets Aside Madras HC Order on Telecom Secretary as Witness"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/sc-sets-aside-hc-order-maran-telecom-secretary-kv9s0
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Politics
published: 2026-08-21T11:30:31.257Z
modified: 2026-08-21T14:00:06.777Z
language: en-IN
---

# Supreme Court Sets Aside Madras HC Order on Telecom Secretary as Witness

The Supreme Court of India on August 21, 2026 set aside a Madras High Court directive to summon the Union Telecom Secretary as a court witness in Dayanidhi Maran’s BSNL case, while allowing Maran to consider him as a defence witness. The decision preserves prior trial court orders and involves the C

## Key takeaways

- SC reversed Madras High Court’s directive to summon the Union Telecom Secretary as a court witness in the Maran case.
- The trial court’s October 2025 order rejecting summoning the Secretary as a court witness was restored.
- Maran is now expressly allowed to summon the Secretary as a defence witness if he chooses.

## What Happened

The Supreme Court of India on August 21, 2026 set aside the Madras High Court’s directive to summon the Union Telecom Secretary as a court witness in the criminal case against DMK MP and former Union Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, who is accused in a matter connected to alleged misuse of BSNL facilities. The Court restored the trial court’s October 10, 2025 order, which had rejected Maran’s request to summon the Secretary as a court witness, and allowed Maran the option to examine the Secretary as a defence witness if he so desires. The CBI had challenged the High Court’s direction, with ASG SV Raju representing the agency. Senior advocates for Maran argued against treating the Secretary as a defence witness, but the Court did not alter the remedy and permitted the defence-witness option.

The case stems from allegations that, during Maran’s tenure as Minister of Communications and Information Technology (2004–2007), there was misuse of BSNL lines and related facilities and that such arrangements involved significant private and public-sector telecom assets.

## Why It Matters

The ruling narrows the scope of the Secretary’s potential testimony in the trial, potentially affecting how evidence related to the administration and privileges of the ministerial office is framed. By revoking the High Court’s order to summon the Secretary as a court witness and reiterating the option to treat him as a defence witness, the Supreme Court shapes how the prosecution and defense present expert and administrative context in this case.

## Background

The Madras High Court had on March 25 directed the trial court to examine the Union Telecom Secretary as a court witness to determine if Maran was entitled to service-category telecom connections during his time as Minister (2004–2007). The High Court reasoned that the Secretary, as the department’s top executive, could clarify the administrative framework. The CBI chargesheet alleges Maran, along with BSNL officials and associates of Sun TV Network, procured and used multiple telecom facilities at residences in Chennai and New Delhi under BSNL’s “Service Category,” with the aim of benefiting business activities and causing financial loss to public telecom entities amounting to roughly Rs 1.78 crore. The charges include conspiracy, breach of trust, forgery, and corruption-related offenses under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

## Key Facts

- The Supreme Court set aside the Madras High Court order directing the Union Telecom Secretary to be summoned as a court witness in the Maran case.

- The Court restored the trial court’s October 10, 2025 order, which had rejected summoning the Secretary as a court witness.

- The Court expressly permitted Maran to summon the Telecom Secretary as a defence witness, if he chooses.

- The challenge to the High Court order was brought by the CBI, represented by the Additional Solicitor General.

- The High Court had considered the Secretary’s evidence relevant to whether Maran was entitled to service-category telecom connections during his ministerial tenure (2004–2007).

- Prosecution allegations involve alleged use of BSNL facilities at Maran’s residences and related financial implications to public telecom entities worth about Rs 1.78 crore.

## What Happens Next

Marian’s team may decide to call the Telecom Secretary as a defence witness, while the prosecution will continue to present its case in the existing framework set by the trial court’s prior orders. Further procedural developments will depend on how the defence chooses to utilize the Secretary’s testimony and how the court handles any subsequent evidentiary submissions.

---
Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/sc-sets-aside-hc-order-maran-telecom-secretary-kv9s0
Reported from: Multiple Sources