Aircel-Maxis PMLA case: P Chidambaram to appear before ED Today

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday issued notice to former finance minister P Chidambaram in connection to the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case.

Following the fresh summons, issued by the ED, the Rajya Sabha MP is expected to appear before the agency on Tuesday. Once he appears before the ED, the investigation officers will record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"Notice issued by Enforcement Directorate to P Chidambaram to appear before investigating officer tomorrow for questioning in Aircel-Maxis case," the news agency ANI reported.

Earlier on May 30, a Delhi court granted him protection from arrest till June 5 in the case, after he moved an anticipatory bail plea before the court of Special Judge O P Saini. The plea was filed after ED on May 30 had first asked him to appear before it.

On February 28, P. Chidambaram's son Karti was arrested at the Chennai airport while returning from the United Kingdom. The move came after his alleged role in facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance for INX Media Ltd. and its directors, Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea, came to the light.

Notice issued by Enforcement Directorate to P Chidambaram to appear before investigating officer tomorrow for questioning in Aircel-Maxis case: Sources pic.twitter.com/5SaNfjjoDf

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2018

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The Supreme Court had on March 12 directed the CBI and the ED to complete their investigation within six months.

In October 2017, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had found that FIPB approval given by Chidambaram in March 2006 in Aircel-Maxis case was beyond his mandate. It required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). The law enforcement agency, in its investigation, also found that the amount for FIPB approval was wrongly projected to conceal the facts.

In September last year, the ED had attached assets worth Rs 1.16 crore of Karti and a firm allegedly linked to him in connection with this case.

The Aircel-Maxis case is basically a series of allegations of kickbacks in the telecom sector, which was part of the wider 2G spectrum scam that engulfed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.

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In 2011, former Aircel head C. Sivasankaran complained to the CBI that he was being forced by then telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran to sell Aircel to the Malaysia-based Maxis Communications group owned by T. Ananda Krishnan.

(With inputs from agencies)