DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran Sends Legal Notice to Brother Kalanithi Over Rs 24,000 Crore Sun TV Share Dispute, Alleging Fraud

A legal dispute has emerged within the Maran family, proprietors of Sun TV Network Limited, one of India's largest media conglomerates valued at approximately Rs 24,000 crore. DMK MP and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran has sent a legal notice to his elder brother Kalanithi Maran, the chairman of Sun TV Network, along with Kalanithi's wife Kavery Kalanithi and six others. The notice alleges fraudulent share transactions dating back to 2003, accusing Kalanithi Maran of engaging in fraud, cheating, money laundering, and criminal breach of trust in relation to the control of the company. Dayanidhi Maran demands the restoration of the company's 2003 shareholding structure and has threatened to notify regulatory bodies including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to cancel SpiceJet Ltd's license and approach the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to revoke the license of the Sunrisers cricket team.

The dispute has impacted Sun TV Network's shares, which fell over 5% amid the reports but later recovered after the company issued a statement. Sun TV Network clarified that the matter dates back 22 years to when the company was a closely held private limited entity, describing the issues as personal family matters and asserting that all corporate actions were legally compliant and vetted by professionals. The feud, which reportedly first surfaced in 2007, has drawn significant attention due to the prominence of the Maran family in both business and politics, with some analysts noting the unlikely political spillover despite the involvement of DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran.