Chennai : No wonder the news of License cancellation for Kal Cables DAS operation in Chennai was unbelievable to many in the media circle all over India, despite the updates from various corners and many chose to ignore it as rumours until the news of Kal Cables filing a writ petition in Chennai High Court on 26th August, against the order of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, came out openly in the market, followed by the official update on the MIB portal on 27th August
However, the circumstances of cancellation of license remained unclear due to the simple note in the MIB’s notification that stated reason “due to denial of security clearance by MHA”
The above mentioned reason was sounding peculiar as the Company was in to the cable business for more than a decade and applied for DAS license on 18.05.2012 and it got the permanent license on 19.06.2012 for the Chennai Metro and on 07.03.2013 for the Phase II area without any hurdles. whereas the sudden denial of MHA clearance has raised the eyebrows of many in the Indian Media circle.
Moreover, the latest updated sources also confirm, the news of Union Home Ministry (MHA) handing over of a “secret file” to the Chennai High Court that contains the reason for denial of security clearance to Kal Cables. This concept of secret file without being disclosed to the public or media or even the affected business entity is seems to be a never before and first of its kind activity of a central government against a legally operating business establishment in the country.
Adding fuel to the mystery was the questions raised by Senior Council for Kal Cables P S Raman before the Chennai High Court stating “security clearance must mean external security threat and something which involved the larger interest of the nation. He said Kal Cables is not facing any criminal case and that not even an FIR had been registered against it. “At least a showcause notice could have been served on me. I am not even facing an FIR. Today I am answering the allegations which are unknown to me,”
while Mr. Dayandhi Maran had exited the board of Kal Cable in 2004 in-order to avoid conflict of interest before assume the charge of a Union Minister and Mr. Kalanidhi Maran exiting the board in 2009, MHA’s denial of security clearance on an company which don’t face any criminal case is being looked at as the mysteries to the core.
Finally, the additional solicitor general of India’s counter argument that “there were adverse Intelligence Bureau reports against the company” in the form of negative IB report and adverse information against the Company is looking to be the mother of all mysteries.
In this mysterious circumstances the High Court is expected to deliver its verdict tomorrow and the entire media industry is hoping that at-least the court will give some clarity and reveal the facts of secret files of MHA and other unexplained factors.
