A Delhi court on Friday extended till May 6 the interim protection from arrest granted to former Union minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) meanwhile told the Court that Mr. Karti was not cooperating in the case and evaded questions on certain emails retrieved from his computer hard disks.A Special Court presided by Judge OP Saini today directed the Prosecution in the Aircel-Maxis case to submit the details collected by it in the case during investigation. The direction by Judge Saini came after the Enforcement Directorate sought more time to complete its investigation before it could argue the anticipatory bail pleas moved by P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram. The Aircel Maxis case pertains to the alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approvals granted to the Aircel-Maxis deal at the time when P Chidambaram was Union Finance Minister. Chidambaram, as well as his son Karti Chidambaram, is facing probe in the case. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court that certain ED Officials have personally gone to foreign nations to get a response to the Letters Rogatory to expedite the investigation. Mehta further added that the ED would interrogate the father-son duo once these responses are secured. Counsel for P Chidambaram and Karti Chidambaram, Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi opposed further adjournments in the plea.The Court, however, granted an adjournment to the Prosecution once more. It then directed the ED to submit the details of the material that it has collected through the Letters Rogatory. The matter will be heard next on May 30. Interim protection from arrest granted to P Chidambaram and Karti Chidambaram stands extended till then.
Courtesy/By: Sakshi Garg
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07 May 2019
