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CHENNAI: As CBI sleuths continue raiding the residence of former Union minister Dayanithi Maran and six other places including Sun TV’s office in Chennai, the Maran brothers stand deserted by the DMK and the Karunanidhi family. The raids started at 7am on Monday after the CBI registered a first information report (FIR) against Dayanidhi and his brother and Sun Network managing director Kalanithi Maran in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

A team led by assistant superintendent of police Ravi Gambhir from Delhi and six other officers including a woman officer went to Dayanidhi Maran’s house at 7.15am. The security guard at the gate refused to let them in. After 20 minutes, the officials barged into the house when the gate was opened to let in a maid.

Maran doesn’t appear to have the sympathies of the party leaders or members of the Karunanidhi family. While Karunanidhi’s elder son M K Alagiri has been openly against Maran, Karunanidhi’s younger son M K Tamilarasu is the only person who went to Maran’s place on Monday. Party functionaries kept away from the place. Party president M Karunanidhi and treasure M K Stalin are in Trichy for the local body poll campaign.

"We passed on the message to Thalaivar (leader) in the morning as soon as he reached Sangam Hotel in Trichy. He just received the message with a smile," a former DMK minister told TOI. Earlier Karunanidhi had commented that Maran has the capacity to face the matter on his own.

Sources said Karunanidhi is unlikely to spring to Maran’s defence. "The DMK has suffered a lot because of Dayanidhi Maran. Thalaivar feels that he is the main reason for many damages. So he will watch the developments silently" said a senior DMK MP.

Sources said Kalanidhi Maran and his wife Kavery Kalanidhi Maran had been in Delhi in the last week. "Kalanidhi’s children came to Chennai this morning and they have gone to school. We don’t know where the boss is," a driver said.