Kalanithi Maran owned Sun TV Network Limited (Sun TV) today said that it had not received any information from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) or the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) about rejection of security clearance to its television channels.

Shares of Sun TV crashed over 25 per cent on Monday, 8 June, 2015, as compared to the previous closing price on Friday, amid reports that the network’s 33 television channels may be taken off air by the MHA over security clearance.

When contacted by Indiantelevision.com, a Sun TV spokesperson declined to comment on the rejection of security clearance as the network was still waiting for an official report.

Reacting to the reports, Sun TV clarified on the bourses stating, “We wish to state that no communication has been received by the Company in this regard from any Ministry and all our Channels continue to be on air.”

On the other hand, an MIB official confirmed to this website that the Home Ministry had indeed denied security clearance to Sun TV Network as a whole and that the decision would be conveyed to the network by the MIB and not the MHA.

The MIB official also confirmed that this will affect all 33 television channels of the Kalanithi Maran-promoted Sun TV Network. This may mean cancellation of the broadcasting licence. However, the Ministry official said that no decision would be taken in haste.

Sun TV had applied to the MIB for renewing its broadcasting licence for 10 years, which also entails getting the required security clearance from the Home Ministry.

The Home Ministry is said to have taken this decision in the backdrop of the three pending criminal cases being looked into by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), against Maran and his brother and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran.

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