Dayanidhi Accuses Brother Kalanithi of Sun TV Share Fraud

A serious dispute has broken out in the Maran family, with DMK leader and ex-Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran alleging financial wrongdoing by his elder brother and Sun TV chief Kalanithi Maran, dating back to 2003.

In a legal notice, Dayanidhi alleged that Kalanithi illegally allotted himself 1.2 million equity shares of Sun TV Private Limited at ₹10 each without proper valuation or stakeholder consent. According to him, Kalanithi had no shares in the company until September 15, 2003, and began acquiring them days after their father, former Union Minister Murasoli Maran, returned from medical treatment in the US.

After Murasoli’s death in November 2003, the shares were allegedly transferred to their mother, Mallika Maran, without legal paperwork. Dayanidhi claimed Kalanithi then transferred the shares to himself just three days after their father's passing, even before a death certificate was issued. He termed the transaction fraudulent and void.

The notice also stated that Kalanithi collected dividends worth ₹5,926 crore till 2023 and an additional ₹455 crore in the 2024 fiscal. The financial irregularities are said to be ongoing. Dayanidhi further accused Kalanithi of using Sun TV funds to acquire shares from their aunt, MK Dayalu, Karunanidhi’s widow.

Calling the alleged acts a “white-collar crime of the highest order,” Dayanidhi said they caused lasting damage to legitimate stakeholders. He also levelled accusations against others, including Kalanithi’s wife Kaveri Kalanithi—allegedly drawing an annual salary of ₹87.5 crore—along with company secretary Ravi Ramamoorthy and auditor Sivasubramanian.

The notice warned of action through regulatory bodies like the central government, BCCI, and DGCA, potentially affecting Sun TV, IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad, and SpiceJet.

Dayanidhi had sent a similar notice in October 2024, alleging Kalanithi paid ₹500 crore to their sister Anbukarasi through their mother’s bank account.

Sun TV, founded in 1993 from DMK’s Chennai headquarters, has grown into a massive media empire with TV channels, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, and sports franchises.