TN: Sun TV senior official gets threat calls

Chennai, May 25: Popular Tamil satellite channel Sun TV Vice-President and Chief Programming Officer Hansraj Saxena has sought police protection following receipt of threat calls.

He had filed a petition in this regard with city Police Commissioner Letika Saran, yesterday.

In his complaint, Mr Saxena said he had received calls in his mobile, asking him not to go to the Sun TV office and warning him of dire consequences if he did not pay heed.

He had also given the telephone numbers registered on his mobile, to the police. They were reportedly made from a public booth.

Police said the Cyber Crime wing of the city police had been asked to investigate the threat calls.

Sun TV is owned by Mr Kalanidhi Maran, brother of former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran.

Relations between the Karunanidhis and the Marans turned sour after alleged supporters of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's elder son M K Azhagiri attacked the Madurai office of 'Dinakaran', owned by Mr Kalanidhi Maran, upset over an opinion poll published by the newspaper on the successor to Mr Karunanidhi.

The developments forced Mr Dayanidhi Maran, the grandnephew of Mr Karunanidhi, to resign from the Union Cabinet and the Sun TV fell out of favour with the DMK, which was planning to launch 'Kalaignar TV' on August 15 with the backing of another private channel Raj TV.

UNI