SC extends deadline by 3 months to probe Aircel-Maxis deal

The Supreme Court on Thursday extended by three months the deadline given to CBI and ED to complete their investigation in all 2G spectrum cases and related cases arising out of it, including the Aircel-Maxis deal.

A bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan granted three more months to investigating agencies to complete the probe after the counsel appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought time as they needed to confront some accused through e-mails.

The ED and the CBI are investigating Karti Chidambaram's alleged role in getting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance for the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father was the Union Finance Minister.

The investigative agencies have questioned former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

On March 12, the apex court had given a deadline till September 12 to the two central agencies to complete probe in the alleged irregularities in FIPB approval to the Aircel-Maxis deal.

On December 21 last year, the trial court had acquitted DMK leaders Kanimozhi and A. Raja and 15 other accused in the 2G court for lack of evidence.

The court had also dropped charges against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and others accused in the Aircel-Maxis case.

Now, the pending investigation includes one by the CBI into the role of Malaysian accused T. Ananda Krishnan and Ralph Marshall in the Aircel-Maxis deal, and by CBI regarding FIPB approval.

The issue had surfaced in course of investigation into the 2G spectrum allocation-related cases.

On July 19, 2018, the CBI had filed a supplementary charge sheet before a special court against the Congress leader and his son for alleged irregularities and criminal conspiracy in the Aircel-Maxis deal case. The CBI had also named 10 individuals, including public servants, and six companies as accused in the case.

--IANS

gt/nir