Expressing displeasure over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking more time, the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday directed CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to submit the status report on the investigation in Aircel-Maxis involving the former Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram and son by January 23, the date of next hearing. Adhering to SC’s earlier direction, the ED, Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover and main petitioner Subramanian Swamy filed affidavits of the Aircel-Maxis scam details and probe status, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta representing the CBI sought some more time.
Karti is supposed to appear before the ED on January 11 on the same INX Media case and is trying to leave the country on January 10, fearing arrest by ED on January 11, suspect officials.
The bench headed by Justices Arun Mishra and Mohan Shantanagoudar expressed displeasure on hearing the request by CBI for more time. Senior BJP leader and main petitioner Subramanian Swamy also criticised the attitude of CBI and pointed out that so much delay has already happened in the Aircel-Maxis scam. Expressing displeasure again, the Bench directed CBI and ED to come up with the status of the investigation by January 23, the date of the next hearing.
Swamy also raised the issue of harassments faced by ED’s Investigating Officer Rajeshwar Singh from Finance Ministry after attached Karti’s properties in Aircel-Maxis scam. “Many times i have come to this court and orders were passed not to change officers. But still people in league with corrupt persons are trying to change honest officers,” said Swamy, supporting Rajeshwar Singh’s petition for a CBI probe on anonymous complaints against him[1].
It must be mentioned here that several anonymous complaints were filed against Rajeshwar Singh in the Finance Ministry soon after he attached Karti Chidambaram’s bank accounts in the Aircel-Maxis scam.
“Let us first look into the Aircel-Maxis investigation status,” said the Judges. The Bench also reiterated its stand when SPP Grover cited the delay in filing appeal against the discharge by a trial court in Airtel case. “We are now on the delay in Aircel-Maxis case,” said Justice Arun Mishra.
Meanwhile, Karti’s company in the morning filed a petition against the ED’s actions in Aircel-Maxis scam like the attaching of bank accounts before the same Bench and sensing danger, they requested that the case be shifted to the Chief Justice Bench, claiming that another similar matter is already being heard there. But the Bench did not allow the request and adjourned the petition to Monday (January 8) before them. Karti’s company leveled allegations against the ED for the raid, attachment etc.
Around the same time in the morning, Karti approached Chief Justice Dipak Mishra’s Bench seeking sanction to go to London again from January 10 to January 20, citing some business plan. The Bench rejected the urgent hearing and listed the matter for January 8, Monday. Karti’s foreign trips are barred by CBI after issuing a Look Out Circular at Airports in connection with INX Media bribe case. Karti is supposed to appear before the ED on January 11 on the same INX Media case and is trying to leave the country on January 10, fearing arrest by ED on January 11, suspect officials.
References:
[1] Is the PC gang behind the anonymous complaints against ED officer? Nov 1, 2017, PGurus.com
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi: A Gujju businessman who does not invest his precious time for a losing battle - April 13, 2024
- NIA arrests two accused Shazib and Taahaa in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe blast case from Kolkata - April 12, 2024
- National Herald scam: Adjudicating Authority upholds Rs.752 crore assets attached by ED - April 11, 2024
[…] CBI and ED must file investigation status report in Aircel-Maxis scam by January 23: SC – Jan 4, 2018, […]
[…] ED and CBI must file status report in Aircel-Maxis by January 23 – Jan 4, 2018, […]
[…] CBI and ED must file investigation status report in A-M scam by Jan 23: SC – Jan 4, 2018, […]
[…] CBI and ED must file investigation status report in Aircel-Maxis scam by January 23: SC – Jan 4, 2018, […]
With the political system in place who knows PC maybe FM or even HM by 2019/20 it is prudent to hold rather than proceed ?
Look at the apex court judges. They have no other cases other than Pc and Karti Chidambaram’s cases. One bench is hearing the Aircel Maxis case and at the same time the CJI is hearing Karti’s permission case to go abroad. Is it not misleading the apex court by the father and son. Why can they pull them for wasting precious time of judges. The CJI was very upset in the recent past when justice Chelameswar heard a corruption case that was being heard by CJI bench. Where is yhe justification. You can now understand why cases are piling up in supreme court when judges have time to hear the same petitioner in two different courtrooms at the same time. Very unfortunate. Only monied can have this luxury.
Chidambaram is having long arms and he was and is good at manipulating the things in his favour atany time.
What the hell is CBI doing with Aircel-Maxis Scam probe? PM must admonish CBI officers for this planned delay to save Chidambaram and son
On the contrary the ‘soft approach’ on ‘Chidu & his looter family’ is happening with the full connivance of the PM.
–
It seems this Government’s ‘war on corruption’ is only against individuals who can politically challenge Modi. Chidu and Karti are ‘political zeros’ and pose no threat to Modi.