Events seem to be rolling fast and furious, and Marans are caught in it. After the SpiceJet fiasco of Kalanithi Maran, his brother Dayanidhi Maran is likely to be arrested in BSNL telephone exchange case. Marans are close relatives of DMK chief M Karunandhi.

Chennai-based political observers feel that the case that began during the UPA regime in 2007 has suddenly acquired seriousness. The arrest theory is being connected to the recent visit of union finance minister Arun Jaitley. He metAIADMK chief and former chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence in Chennai.

“It cannot be denied that Dayanidhi Maran got a mini-telephone exchange of BSNL set up at his Boat Club residence to serve Sun Network, owned by his elder brother Kalanithi Maran. Not only this, two other similar telephone exchanges operated from Sun’s executives’ residence. And this has still not come out in the open. But sudden arrest of people in BSNL telephone exchange case has sent signals that there is also a political link to it,” says a city-based observer not wishing to be quoted.

Insiders say when BJP came to power Jayalalithaa visited Delhi and had also complained against DMK. But nothing came out of that first complaint. During Jaitley’s last week meeting, Jayalalithaa enquired about the status of the complaint. Jaitley is believed to have said that he would look into the matter.

Sources say that sudden action in this case is to please Jayalalithaa as BJP needs support of the AIADMK in the Rajya Sabha where the ruling NDA does not have the numbers to pass crucial legislations. Budget session of the parliament begins next month.