Aircel-Maxis: Court to hear ED's plea for Karti's arrest on Oct 8

A Delhi court will hear on October 8 a plea by Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking custodial interrogation of Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in Aircel-Maxis case.

Special Judge O P Saini adjourned the matter on Tuesday after Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Sonia Mathur, appearing for the probe agency, told the court that they wanted some time to advance arguments on the application.

The court posted the matter for next date after senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Karti, requested it to fix the matter for October 8 when the court is already scheduled to hear Karti's anticipatory bail application.

The court has directed the ED not to take any coercive action against Karti till October 8.

Advocates N K Matta and Nitesh Rana had earlier told the court on behalf of the ED that the interim protection was granted to Karti on March 24, 2018 on the condition that he will appear before the investigating officer as and when directed and join the probe. They alleged that he has violated the condition.

The agency alleged that Karti was not cooperating with the investigation, which was one of the conditions imposed on him while granting the interim relief.

The agency told the court that the probe regarding FDI approval was continuing.

In its plea, the ED had said that even when he appeared on a few occasions, Karti had either remained silent or answered after consulting his lawyers.

Maintaining that the apex court had directed it to complete the investigation within six months, that is by September 12, the ED alleged that the actions of the accused were "nothing but dilatory tactics" to bypass the attempt to complete probe within the time frame.

On August 7, the court had extended till October 8 the interim protection from arrest granted to P Chidambaram and Karti in the Aircel-Maxis cases filed by the CBI and the ED for the alleged offences of corruption and money laundering respectively. They were named in the charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case on July 19.

The ED is also probing a separate money-laundering case in the Aircel-Maxis matter and a charge sheet was filed against Karti by the agency on July 13.

Chidambaram and Karti have been questioned by the ED on various occasions, even though the former Union minister has not been arrayed as an accused. Both have denied the allegations levelled against them by the CBI and the ED.