ED sends LRs to UK, Singapore to probe Aircel-Maxis, Karti

ED has sent Letters Rogatory (judicial requests) to UK and Singapore in connection with its money laundering probe in the Aircel-Maxis deal case and parallel investigations in the financial transactions of some companies belonging to friends of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti.
The agency, along with the Income Tax department, had conducted multiple searches in Chennai and Bengaluru in this case in the recent past and the LRs, sources said, aim to obtain further details on these firms which the Enforcement Directorate is also probing for alleged contraventions of forex laws.
The sources said the latest probe also pertains to firms identified as Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited and Chess Global Advisory Services Pvt Ltd, where Karti had been a director, and few others for alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

The agency had conducted search and seizure operations on the business premises of Chess Global firm in Chennai in the presence of Karti last December.
The LRs, they said, are expected to throw more light on the complex web of operations of these firms which are spread to over a dozen countries including UK and Singapore.
While Karti has denied any wrongdoing and has reiterated his cooperation with probe agencies, his father P Chidambaram had accused the government of a "malicious onslaught" launched by it against his family.

"If the government wishes to target me, they should do so directly, not harass friends of my son who carry on their own businesses and have nothing to do with politics," he had said.

ED is also getting in touch with a number of countries like UAE, South Africa, US, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, France, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and British Virgin Islands on a reciprocal arrangement basis to obtain further leads in the two cases.
The agency is also expected to summon Karti for questioning in the case in the near future.
The probe agency, in January, had filed a charge sheet in the Aircel-Maxis deal that was a part of the 2G spectrum allocation case and had named former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi, his wife Kavery Kalanithi and few other individuals and two companies as accused in the case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The agency had also told the court that further probe relating to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal and related issues are subject of further investigation under anti-money laundering laws.
It had said the approval was given when Chidambaram was Finance Minister in 2006.