By Express News Service

NEW DELHI:The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday filed a fresh chargesheet against Congress leader P Chidambaram and his son Karti for alleged irregularities and criminal conspiracy in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

According to the chargesheet, in which 18 entities — 12 persons and six companies — have been named, the former home minister misused his office and power to clear foreign investment deals. The CBI said two sets of money trails were discovered regarding Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance. The chargesheet was filed before special CBI judge O P Saini, who fixed July 31 as the date for consideration.

The case revolves around the grant of FIPB clearance to Global Communication Holding Services in 2006 for investment in Aircel. In September last year, the Enforcement Directorate attached Karti’s assets worth Rs 1.16 crore in connection with the case.

The CBI said Chidambaram cleared the project in March 2006 despite the fact he could have approved only proposals up to Rs 600 crore; anything above that sum should be cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

Reacting to the issue, Chidambaram alleged the government is putting pressure on the CBI to target him. “CBI has been pressured to file a chargesheet to support a preposterous allegation against me and officers with a sterling reputation. The case is now before the Hon’ble Court and it will be contested vigorously,” he tweeted.

The former finance minister had earlier described the charges against his son and him as retribution for his persistent vocal criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies.

Sheer vendetta, says Cong

Accusing the government of misusing agencies, Congress said the charge sheet against Chidambaram will meet the same fate as “other charge sheets of the CBI”. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, “Remember they tried to prosecute the Maran brothers and you all know what happened to the 2G case. This is just a way to harass people, to persecute people and it has nothing to do with the majesty of law. It is denigrating the law, this act of theirs.”