Chidambaram accuses ED of sensationalising Aircel-Maxis case, damaging his reputation

Former Union minister P Chidambaram, an accused in the Aircel-Maxis case, Tuesday alleged in a Delhi court that the Enforcement Directorate was sensationalising the case and damaging his reputation.

Chidambaram and his son Karti, who have been granted further protection from assert till January 11, made the allegations in their replies to ED's application seeking time to advance arguments on their anticipatory bail pleas.

ED had claimed that it wanted to place "newly received evidence" in the case before the court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for ED, had moved an application before Special Judge O P Saini, who posted the matter for January 11.

The court also extended the protection from arrest, granted to both the accused till then after senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for father-son duo respectively, made a request for it.

Besides, in the money laundering case being probed by ED, the court extended similar relief to Chidambarams in a related case filed by the CBI, while granting it time till January 11 to get sanction from the authorities concerned to prosecute five public servants accused in the case. There are 18 accused in the case.

ED's special public prosecutor Nites Rana told the court that "new material has been recovered by the agency which needs to be collated in the case".

In their reply, the father-son duo said, "The accused believes that the subject application has been preferred by ED with the sole intention of delaying the adjudication of accused's anticipatory bail applications, sensationalise the issue, and causing prejudice to the accused and causing harm and damage to his reputation."