Delhi court grants time to CBI, ED to complete probe in Aircel Maxis case

A Delhi court on Thursday granted time till May 4 to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) for completing the probe in the Aircel-Maxis case.

Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar adjourned the matter after the two agencies sought time due to the pendency of Letters Rogatory (LRs) in several countries.

Arguments on cognizance of charge-sheet are pending before the court.

Both investigative agencies had recently filed status reports in a special court.

CBI has informed the court that they have sent LRs to Malaysia and other countries and there are some developments in that regard. The bureau also submitted that it is working on a new lead in the case.

On the other hand, Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for both investigation agencies, filed the ED status report in a sealed cover as the investigation is actively proceeding.

Earlier, the court had directed the agencies to file a status report in the Aircel-Maxis case involving former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, which was adjourned sine die.

The court, while asking for reports from the agencies, said that the allegations mentioned in the charge-sheet appeared to be "quite serious in nature."

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram are currently out on bail in the matter.

Predecessor Judge OP Saini, while passing the judgment, had observed that the entire evidence related to the commission of the crime by the two accused was documentary in nature and is not liable to be tampered with by both accused.

Both the accused are Members of Parliament and P Chidambaram is also former finance and home minister of the country. Considering these factors there is no apparent possibility of the accused fleeing from justice, the court had said.

The case, which is being probed by the CBI and ED, relates to alleged irregularities in grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal. The FIPB approval was allegedly granted in 2006 when Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.