Aircel-Maxis Case: Chidambaram, Son Karti Named In CBI Chargesheet

Former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti were today named in a chargesheet by the Central Burueau of Investigation in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

The agency filed its supplementary chargesheet before special CBI judge OP Saini, who fixed it for considering on July 31.

The CBI was conducting probe as to how Chidambaram, who was the finance minister in 2006, granted Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval to a foreign firm when only the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs was empowered to do it.

The senior Congress leader's role had come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of Rs 3,500 crore and INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.

In its chargesheet filed earlier in the case against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others, the agency had alleged Chidambaram had granted FIPB approval in March 2006 to Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd., a subsidiary of Maxis.

The Maran brothers and other accused, who were listed in the CBI chargesheet earlier, were discharged by the special court which had said that the agency had failed to produce any material against them to proceed with the trial.

The CBI had alleged in the chargesheet against the Marans Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd had sought FIPB approval for $800 million for which only the CCEA was competent, but Chidambaram had given approval to the firm in March 2006.

It had claimed that the finance minister was competent to accord approval on project proposals of up to Rs 600 crore and proposals beyond this required the approval of the CCEA.

The Enforcement Directorate is also probing a separate money laundering case in the Aircel-Maxis deal in which Chidambaram and Karti have been questioned by the agency.

Both Chidambaram and Karti have denied the allegations levelled against them by the CBI and ED.