Aircel-Maxis case: Delhi Court adjourns case against P Chidambaram sine die

CBI and the ED are probing how Karti Chidambaram received clearance from FIPB when his father was the Union finance minister

A Delhi court Friday adjourned sine die the Aircel-Maxis case, involving former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti, noting that the CBI and the ED were seeking "adjournment after adjournment".

Special Judge O P Saini adjourned the matter without giving any date for further hearing, saying it would save the time of the court as well as the probe agencies.

The court granted liberty to the probe agencies to approach the court and get the case revived as and when they complete the investigation.

The court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to the Chidambarams in the corruption case filed by the CBI as well as in the money laundering matter lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the Aircel-Maxis deal.

The matter was listed for arguments on the cognisance of charge sheet in the case.

However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Sonia Mathur, appearing for the CBI and the ED respectively, sought deferment of the proceedings till the time investigating agencies gather further material.

The agencies also told the court that Letters Rogatory (LRs) have been sent to different countries and response to them is still awaited.

"Since further investigation is pending since long and the prosecution has been seeking adjournment after adjournment, it would be in the interest of justice, if the instant cases are adjourned sine die, with liberty to the prosecution to get it revived as soon as they are able to complete the investigation on collection of further evidence and/or receipt of response to LRs," the court said in its order.

"Adjourning the matter sine die would save the time of the court and that of the prosecutors and investigators... Applications stands disposed of. Files be consigned to Record Room sine die," the court said.

The agencies requested the court to adjourn the matter for six weeks.

They were also represented by Special Public Prosecutors Nitesh Rana and NK Matta and advocate Noor Rampal.

CBI and the ED are probing how Karti Chidambaram received clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father was Union finance minister.

CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had alleged that the Congress leader, as finance minister during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, granted approval to the deal beyond his capacity benefitting certain persons, and received kickbacks.