Dayanidhi Maran, a former Union Minister and current DMK MP, has initiated legal proceedings against his brother Kalanithi Maran, highlighting a family conflict among the proprietors of Sun TV Network Limited, one of the largest media companies in India. The legal notice claims that Kalanithi, the chairman of the Chennai-based company and a billionaire, is implicated in what the notice characterizes as “fraudulent activities,” including “cheating and money laundering.”
The notice is calling for the restitution of the company’s ownership structure to its original form as established in 2003, invoking the memory of their late father, SN Maran, who is also recognized as Murasoli Maran, and MK Dayalu, the wife of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi. Dated June 10, 2025, this notice has been addressed to Kalanithi Maran as well as to seven other individuals, including his spouse, Kaveri Maran.
The notice claims that Kalanithi and Kaveri Maran conspired together, along with the other respondents, to execute a misleading scheme to take control of the entire company and its assets for their personal gain. It outlines that this deceitful plan was initiated in September 2003, during a time when the family was preoccupied with the serious illness of their father, leading to anxieties about his impending death.
According to the legal notice, following the demise of their father in 2003, shares were transferred to their mother, Mallika Maran, without the necessary legal documentation, such as a death certificate or legal heir certificate, which were only processed a considerable time later. This move was allegedly intended to facilitate the subsequent transfer of shares to Kalanithi Maran.
The document further accuses Kalanithi of improperly allocating 12 lakh equity shares to himself at a value of Rs 10 each on September 15, 2003, labeling this act as a criminal breach of trust and fraud. At that time, the share price was reported to be between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000, as stated in the notice. It claims that Kalanithi allocated 60% of the shares of M/s. SUN TV Private Limited without consultation or consent from the other original majority shareholders.
The notice also emphasizes that, during that period, the company was in a strong financial position and did not require additional capital, thus questioning the motive behind issuing new shares. Prior to this allocation, Kalanithi did not hold any shares, but this action allowed him to seize majority control, diminishing the original families’ stake from 50% each to merely 20%. Currently, Kalanithi Maran possesses 75% of the listed Sun TV network and has a net worth estimated at $2.9 billion, making him one of the wealthiest business figures in India. According to the announcement, Dayanidhi Maran plans to request that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) conduct a governmental inquiry, as these activities constitute significant offenses under both corporate and criminal statutes, which encompass money laundering.
