Aircel-Maxis case: ED files charge sheet against P Chidambaram, son Karti

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday named nine people including senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram, and his son Karti Chidambaram as accused in its supplementary charge in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case.

The other accused in the case includes S. Bhaskaraman, V Srinivasan, four Maxis companies and Aircel Televentures. CBI Special Judge OP Saini has fixed November 26 for consideration of the chargesheet.

The ED claims that an alleged payment of Rs 26 lakh was made by Aircel Televentures Limited to ASCPL, a firm allegedly linked to Karti, within a few days of this FIPB approval.

FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case was granted in March 2006 by the senior Chidambaram even though he was competent 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).

This is the second chargesheet being filed by ED in the Aircel Maxis Case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already filed chargesheet against Chidambaram and his son in this case in the Patiala House Court. CBI has named 5 government officials and 16 others in the chargesheet.

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