Aircel-Maxis case: Court extends interim protection from arrest to Karti, P Chidambaram till November 26

New Delhi: The Patiala Court on Monday extended the interim protection from arrest granted to former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram in the Aircel Maxis case corruption case till November 26.

It is alleged that FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case was granted in March 2006 by Chidambaram even though he was empowered to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore and beyond that it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

Notably the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday opposed in the Delhi court the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case and sought his custodial interrogation. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is also probing the matter, will also file a reply on the anticipatory bail plea of P Chidambaram today.

ED, which filed its response to the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram, said that he has remained evasive and was not cooperating in the probe and therefore grant of anticipatory bail at this stage would be highly detrimental to the investigation.

It said Chidambaram, being a senior advocate practising in the Supreme Court, a Rajya Sabha MP and former union minister, "is a highly influential and well connected individual. Therefore, there is a serious apprehension of the applicant influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence pertaining to the present case."

The agency said that the investigation pertaining to FIPB approval fraudulently granted by Chidambaram has got several dimensions having wide ramifications for which investigation has been concluded to some extent and with regard to certain issues was still going on.

The court had on October 8 extended till November 1 the interim protection from arrest granted to Chidambaram and his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case filed by the CBI and the ED.

Chidambaram had filed the plea for protection from arrest in the ED case on May 30 this year after which he got relief from the court on various occasions.

The agency on October 25 had filed charge sheet against Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case, accusing him of conspiring with foreign investors to clear their venture.

With PTI Inputs