SC gives time to CBI on plea by Aircel-Maxis case accused

The Supreme Court on Friday gave the CBI time till January 22 to respond to Mohanan Rajesh -- an accused in Aircel-Maxis case to go abroad to meet his son.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud passed the order on Rajesh's application seeking to go to Scotland to meet his son who is studying there.

As the CBI resisted, senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Rajesh, said, "All our business activities have stopped. I have a lot of business outside. I can't go out of the country."

As Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta pressed for time to respond to the application, Sibal retorted: "I want to go for leisure. Who can stop me?"

The court was told that Rajesh wished to leave on January 24 and return on February 5.

Rajesh is a Director of Advantage Strategic Consultant, which the CBI says is owned by Karti Chidambaram, the son of the former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

The matter relates to alleged irregularities in granting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance in the Aircel-Maxis case in which Karti Chidambaram was an allegedly a beneficiary.

--IANS

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