The Delhi High Court Monday extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Congress leader P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram till November 1 in connection with the Aircel-Maxis cases filed by the CBI and the ED. Special CBI Judge O P Saini put up the matter for November 1 after the counsel appearing for agencies sought an adjournment in the matter.
The former finance minister, earlier this month, moved a Delhi Court alleging that the CBI was not interested in fair trial and that it was leaking parts of the charge sheet to media “to sensationalise” the issue and “make a mockery of the judicial process.” The court pulled up the agency for filing the charge sheet without proper sanction and told the CBI that if required documents are not filed by November 26, it may take appropriate action.
The CBI had filed a chargesheet against Chidambaram, his son Karti and others, alleging that the former union minister “dishonestly and fraudulently” granted FIPB approval for foreign investment when only the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was empowered to do it. The senior Congress leader’s role has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore. Both Karti and Chidambaram have denied any wrong-doing.
The Enforcement Directorate is also probing a separate money-laundering case in the Aircel-Maxis matter, in which Chidambaram and Karti have been questioned by the agency.
Comments are closed.