Aircel Maxis Case: P Chidambaram, his son Karti, others summoned by Court
At last, the trial has started in the Aircel Maxis case after the Special Court on Saturday summoned former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and his bribe-taker son Karti along with other accused. The Special Court Judge M K Nagpal took cognizance of CBI and ED chargesheets and issued summons to all accused persons to appear in court on December 20. Though the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed chargesheets in mid-2018, the agencies sought time to produce some financial trail of bribery from foreign countries including Malaysia. Earlier the trial court Judge was O P Saini when the agencies submitted chargesheet and agencies sought time to produce more documents. The controversial Judge O P Saini who acquitted all 2G accused and gave protection from arrest retired in September 2019 and Judge M K Nagpal was appointed.
The Aircel-Maxis scam was first exposed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in April 2012 by bringing out a series of violations committed by then Finance Minister P Chidambaram in allowing the sale or takeover of Aircel mobile phone operator by Malaysian telecom giant Maxis. Swamy also brought out a money trail of Rs.26 lakhs from Aircel and Maxis to Karti’s firms when files were pending with his father Chidambaram. Subramanian Swamy then approached Supreme Court’s Bench handling 2G Scam cases seeking a CBI probe and at last Supreme Court in 2018 gave an ultimatum to CBI to finish the probe in six months. It was interesting to note that in October 2014, during the arguments BJP led NDA Government’s Finance Ministry headed by Chidambaram’s close friend Arun Jaitley told the Supreme Court that the probe in Aircel-Maxis was over and the Enforcement Directorate can transfer its Investigating Officer Rajeshwar Singh. Later in January 2015, the ED found a money trail of around Rs.1.5 crore to Karti’s companies from Malaysian firms. During the BJP regime also, during the ED raid at Chidambaram’s home in Delhi, certain classified documents of CBI to the Supreme Court on the probe details were found from the bedroom.
During the joint raid by Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate in December 2014 and January 2015, at offices and homes of Chidambaram family members, the agencies unearthed a new scam called INX Media bribery scam and assets of the corrupt former Finance Ministers assets across the globe. Chidambaram and his friends were baying for the blood of bold maverick Investigating Officer Rajeshwar Singh. PGurus published a detailed report of Chidambaram families assets in 14 countries and 21 foreign bank accounts. These details were made public by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in early 2017, expressing his anger at hushing up of probe. The article titled ‘Chidambara Rahasya’ can be read here[1].
INX Maxis case where Chidambaram was jailed for 106 days is now at the trial stage. Bribe giver Indrani Mukerjea had admitted that she had given a bribe to Karti and her relations with Chidambaram and already turned as Approver.[2]
In the Aircel Maxis case, other accused persons are former Finance Secretaries Ashok Chawla, Ashok Jha, two serving IAS officers Sanjay Krishnan, Deepak Kumar Singh, and Maxis owners and Malaysian citizens T Anantha Krishnan, Ralph Marshall. Chidambaram family’s Chartered Accountant S Bhaskararaman is also accused along with Indian and Malaysian companies related to the scam. Details of the Aircel-Maxis scam can be read here[3].
References:
[1] Chidambara Rahasya – Details of huge secret assets & foreign bank accounts of Chidambaram Family – Mar 15, 2017, PGurus.com
[2] INX Media case: Fast track court takes cognizance of charge sheet against Chidambaram, son and other 12 accused – Oct 21, 2019, PGurus.com
[3] Finally crooked P Chidambaram caught under Prevention of Corruption Act in Aircel-Maxis Scam – Jul 19, 2018, PGurus.com
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