Former Union Minister and DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has issued a legal notice to his brother Kalanithi Maran, highlighting a family dispute within the ownership of Sun TV Network, one of India’s largest media conglomerates.
The notice accuses Kalanithi Maran, chairman of the Chennai-based media giant and billionaire brother of Dayanidhi, of “fraudulent practices,” including alleged cheating and money laundering. It calls for the reinstatement of the company’s original 2003 shareholding structure, citing the legacy of their late father, SN Maran (popularly known as Murasoli Maran), and MK Dayalu, wife of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. Dated June 10, 2025, the notice has been served to Kalanithi Maran and seven others, including his wife, Kaveri Maran. The legal notice was issued by K Suresh of Law Dharma, a research-driven litigation support firm based in Santhome, Chennai.
A copy of the legal notice has been accessed, and efforts have been made to contact both Dayanidhi and Kalanithi Maran for their comments via email, phone calls, and messages. The story will be updated if a response is received. Sun TV and K. Suresh, the lawyer representing Dayanidhi Maran, have so far not responded to queries.
The notice opens with strong allegations: “In order to take over the entire company and its assets for the personal benefit of No.1 and No.2 of you (Kalanithi and Kaveri Maran), No.1 of you orchestrated a deceptive and devious plan in active conspiracy with No.2 to 8 of you. As part of executing your premeditated fraudulent scheme, you exploited the family’s vulnerability, especially during a time when my client’s father was critically ill, with the family fearing he could pass away at any moment. In September 2003, No.1 and No.2 of you initiated your first illegal act,” the notice states, referring to the deteriorating health and eventual death of Murasoli Maran, the brothers’ father and nephew of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
Allegations of Fraud and Share Manipulation Surface in Maran Family Dispute
The legal notice issued by Dayanidhi Maran to his brother Kalanithi Maran details serious allegations of fraud, cheating, and money laundering tied to the internal operations of Sun TV Network Limited following the death of their father, S N Maran, in 2003.
September 2003 Share Allotment Controversy
According to the notice, shortly after their father’s passing, shares of the company were transferred to their mother, Mallika Maran, without essential legal documents such as a death or legal heir certificate. This move allegedly facilitated the later transfer of shares to Kalanithi Maran.
On September 15, 2003, Kalanithi is said to have allotted himself 12 lakh equity shares at Rs 10 each—despite the shares allegedly being valued between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 at the time. This, the notice claims, was a “criminal breach of trust and cheating,” as it diluted the family’s stake from 50 per cent each to just 20 per cent and turned Kalanithi into the majority shareholder. Prior to this transaction, he reportedly held no stake in the company.
The notice argues that the company was financially strong in 2003 and had no need to issue new shares, questioning the intent and legality of the allotment. It claims this move was part of a “premeditated fraudulent scheme” carried out while their father was critically ill. Kalanithi Maran currently owns 75 per cent of Sun TV, with a net worth estimated at $2.9 billion.
Calls for SFIO Probe and Allegations of Money Laundering
The legal notice states that Dayanidhi Maran will approach the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to seek a formal investigation. It alleges that the undervalued share allotment—Rs 1.2 crore versus an estimated real value of Rs 3,500 crore—amounts to proceeds of crime under money laundering laws. It also claims that Kalanithi has received dividends of Rs 5,926 crore till 2023 and another Rs 455 crore in 2024.
Past Disputes and Prospectus Discrepancies
The notice also revives an earlier conflict between the Karunanidhi and Maran families, alleging that MK Dayalu’s Sun TV shares were undervalued and bought out for Rs 100 crore around the time of the company’s IPO.
Further, it accuses Sun TV of providing false information in its 2006 Red Herring Prospectus, claiming the company reported paying Rs 10.64 crore in dividends to Mallika Maran by the end of 2005—an amount the notice states was never actually paid.
Questionable Asset Acquisitions
The notice accuses Kalanithi and his wife, Kaveri Maran, of using the alleged illicit gains to acquire various high-value assets and companies, including Sun Direct TV, Kal Publications, Kal Airways, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and investments in cricket teams in South Africa and the UK, among others.
Legal Demands
The notice demands that the shareholding structure of Sun TV and all related companies be restored to their 2003 positions, with ownership reverting to M K Dayalu and the legal heirs of S.N. Maran. It also seeks the return of all financial gains, dividends, and assets acquired by Kalanithi and Kaveri Maran since 2003. It warns that if the demands are not met, civil, criminal, and regulatory actions will be initiated against all involved.
Dayanidhi also refers to a prior legal notice sent on October 7, 2024, to which he claims Kalanithi issued a vague response. Following this, he alleges that their sister, Anbukarasi, received Rs 500 crore as part of a partial settlement. It remains unclear whether Kalanithi Maran has formally responded to the latest notice. Sources close to the family describe it as a “personal matter” unlikely to affect Sun TV’s operations.
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