In a bid to save the former tainted Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the Finance Ministry is doing the biggest fraud by holding Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s request to Sanction for Prosecute four IAS officers, co-accused with Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case. CBI’s request is pending in the Finance Ministry under Arun Jaitley, who is a close buddy of accused Chidambaram for more than 100 days. CBI has charge sheeted Chidambaram and his son Karti along with two retired Finance Secretaries and two serving IAS officers as accused on July 19 and now the Court has asked the agency to submit sanction for prosecution within November 26.

It must be remembered that former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has given Sanction for Prosecution in 2G cases within 24 hours of CBI’s request.

This holding of CBI’s request is an unhealthy activity by the Finance Ministry to save its former honcho Chidambaram and dilute the charge sheet in the Aircel-Maxis scam. Apart from the lobbies favouring Chidambaram, the corrupt IAS lobby is also behind it to save their four tainted colleagues involved in the Aircel-Maxis scam.

Who are the four IAS officers co-accused with Chidambaram and son?

Former Finance Secretary Ashok Jha

Former Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla , currently serving as the Chairman of National Stock Exchange

, currently serving as the Chairman of National Stock Exchange Kumar Sanjay Krishnan belonging to the Assam Cadre

belonging to the Assam Cadre Deepak Kumar Singh belonging to the Bihar cadre

On the previous hearing on October 1, in 2G Court, CBI was slammed by Judge OP Saini for the delays in providing Sanction for Prosecution of the above named four IAS officers. The Judge even went on to say that he will pass “suitable orders” if the sanction for prosecution is not submitted by November 26, the next hearing[1].

Before filing the charge sheet on July 19, CBI has approached Finance Ministry through the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for the Sanction for Prosecution of Chidambaram’s co-accused four IAS officers. Now for more than 100 days the Finance Ministry is sitting on this file. It must be remembered that former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has given Sanction for Prosecution in 2G cases within 24 hours of CBI’s request. One of the accused RK Chandolia was an Indian Economic Service officer and the Finance Ministry in 2011, then under Pranab Mukherjee, provided sanction or prosecution in 24 hours, say veteran Finance Ministry officials. This clearly shows that the Finance Ministry under Arun Jaitley is purposefully delaying the CBI’s request. As to why, it is simple – if the sanction for prosecution is delayed, the charge sheet against Chidambaram and Karti will be diluted, leading to a sabotage of the case.

Who is protecting Chidambaram in Finance Ministry? The passing of the Buck stops with the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. This is not the first time that the Finance Ministry under Jaitley has been caught for sabotaging the Aircel-Maxis case.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi must intervene and rap the knuckles of the crooked persons in Finance Ministry, trying to save tainted corrupt Chidambaram. Prime Minister must ORDER that CBI should be able to provide Sanction for Prosecution against the four IAS officers before November 26 in 2G Court.

References:

[1] CBI pulled up for Finance Ministry’s delays in providing Sanction for Prosecution in Aircel-Maxis scam – Oct 2, 2018, PGurus.com