CBI names P Chidambaram as accused in Aircel-Maxis case

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 19: The Central Bureau of Investigation has named former union minister, P Chidambaram as an accused in the Aircel-Maxis case. His name was mentioned in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI.

There are seventeen other accused named in the chargesheet. Chidambaram's son, Karti Chidambaram has already been named as an accused in the case and the Patiala House Court had taken cognisance of the chargesheet.

After the supplementary chargesheet was filed, the court said it would take cognisance of the matter on July 31. The chargesheet also names two government officials and states that they had been charged with 'abuse of power.'

The decision to indict government officials is an interesting one. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act is relatively weak without the indictment of a government official.

The CBI has named 12 people in the chargesheet and accused them of abusing power in granting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approvals. Further the agency said that it has found two money trails. The charges were framed under the provisions off the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Those named in the chargesheet include P Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram, Ashok Chawala, A Palaniappan, Deepak Kumar Singh, Kumar Sanjay Singh, Ashok Jha, Ram Sharan, S Bhaskeraman, V Srinivasan, Ralph Marshal and T Ananda.

The CBI has also named six companies which include, Chest Management Services , Advantage Strategic, Astro All Asia networks, Maxis Mobile, Bumi Armada Barhad and Bumi Armada Barhad Navigation.

What is the Aircel-Maxis case?

The case arises out of the 2G spectrum allocation and pertains to the FIPB clearances which were given to Global Communication Holding Services Limited for investment in Aircel. This took place at a time when P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.

The Enforcement Directorate which is also probing this case said that the FIPB approach granted by Chidambaram in 2006 was beyond his mandate. He was only authorised to accord approvals on project proposals up to Rs 600 crore.

It may be recalled that Karti had been arrested in this case. Both Karti and Chidambaram were recently granted anticipatory bail till August 7.