I&B to ask Home: Will you crack down on Sun papers next, why keep reasons secret?

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“We are preparing a letter to ask them (the MHA) again what reasons to cite while issuing an order to cancel their TV licence,” the I&B source said, requesting anonymity. Sun TV operates 33 satellite TV channels and, along with three other companies, runs 45 FM radio stations under the brand name Suryan FM in Tamil Nadu and Red FM in other cities. While denial of security clearance for radio stations was conveyed by the MHA to the I&B Ministry in March, that for TV channels was sent last Friday.

The I&B Ministry’s fears are not unfounded. In September 2014, the Madras High Court set aside the I&B’s order asking the Maran family-run Kal Cables to discontinue operations after the MHA declined to give it security clearance. “At that time, the affected party approached the court and argued that it was not given an opportunity to present its case,” an I&B source said, adding that the ministry wants to avoid a similar situation this time.

Sources said the I&B Ministry is drafting a reply to the MHA directive. “If the MHA has decided to decline security clearance to a company, it should either directly convey the reasons to the affected company or let the I&B ministry cite those reasons,” an official said. I&B has also decided to obtain an independent legal opinion on the matter.

Moreover, sources said that I&B officials were of the view that “economic security” cannot be equated to “national security”, and that the MHA may have either “over-reacted” or failed to “examine the matter in-depth”. The MHA’s denial of security clearance to the 33 channels is based on ongoing criminal investigations against its promoters over allegations of corruption, money laundering and operating an illegal telephone exchange.