Categories: Black MoneyPointBlank

Did Shaktikanta Das go slow in CBI’s probe against Chidambaram in Aircel-Maxis case?

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Below we show a letter from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Anil Sinha to Shaktikanta Das on providing details of Chidambaram’s violations granting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to Maxis to take over Aircel.  CBI Director’s letter dated September 17, 2015 to Shaktikanta das shows the displeasure of the investigating agency chief about the non-cooperation of Department of Economic Affairs.

PGurus already wrote a detailed report on the role of this erstwhile Revenue Secretary in slowing the Enforcement Directorate’s  investigation in Aircel Maxis case.

On March 26th 2015, CBI sought details of files and information regarding the FIPB clearance given by Chidambaram. The letter clearly states that the agency had sent several reminders. CBI normally writes these kind of official reminder letters when the investigators feel that the response is not timely. They should be… almost six months had elapsed since the time they had sent the first letter.

In the letter, the CBI Director says that the matter is very urgent as the Supreme Court has given directions to them in the case filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. CBI, even in the details given to the Supreme Court (in a sealed cover) said that they are waiting for information from the Department of Economic Affairs.

The CBI had in their chargesheet against Maran brothers, detailed violations by Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis scam in August 2014. The Aircel-Maxis deal was worth Rs.3600 crores ($534 million) of foreign investment. As the FIPB Chairperson,  Chidambaram in 2006 had only power to approve Rs.600 crore ($89 million) foreign investments. For investments above Rs.600 crores ($89 million), the FIPB has to get the clearance from Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). This is perhaps the only deal above Rs.600 crores, in which Chidambaram did not take it up to CCEA. Why he did not take it up? Read on.

Chidambaram claimed that the “face value” of the deal was considerably less. Some friendly media sources parroted Chidambaram’s theories. But all these fell flat when the preliminary findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) came out. The apex auditor also found that though the approved value of the deal was Rs.3600 crores ($534 million), the actual money flown to India from Malaysia was more than Rs.4800 crores ($713 million)! Why did an extra Rs.1200 crores ($178 million) come? More importantly, where did it go? Mr. Chidambaram has some explaining to do. Is it a coincidence that every time there is an investigation involving Mr. Chidambaram, a certain official is always in the picture?

Note:
1. The conversion rate used in this article is 1 USD = 67.40 Rupees.
2. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.

Team PGurus

We are a team of focused individuals with expertise in at least one of the following fields viz. Journalism, Technology, Economics, Politics, Sports & Business. We are factual, accurate and unbiased.

View Comments

  • Why do you think he was made Governor of RBI to replace Dr. Urjit Patel?
    The holder of many secrets and Gurumurthy's pal.
    Urjit having beaten his retreat after completing Mukesh's job. The scene was too hot even for him.
    Urjit I hear has been awarded a post doctoral degree for taking 18 months to count .

  • PC and the dynasty cannot be touched and it is a known fact. It is beyond the NDA and especially the BJP. PC &dynasty must be having some thing against important people of BJP and that is the reason for no action. The NDA will complete their 5years and still nothing will happen to these people. Unless there is a will this Govt: will also fumble. That is the tragedy. Jai HInd.

  • This is atrocious---Is there any nexes between the officers of previous regime and now ? When the cases relating to film stars are heard and judgements delivered quickly, why this unreasonable delay in these cases ? who is blocking /supporting the V I Ps of 2G and aircel-maxis ?

  • This is atrocious...how long they can drag on the matter ? Is there any nexes between the officers of previous regime and now ? When filmstar cases are heard and judgements delivered quickly what is the reason to delay these cases --this is a common citizen's question. The P.M. should review such of these cases every week postponing his foreign visits

  • Looks like BJP is becoming very complacent in many of its poll promises. Also one gets a feeling that BJP wants to do a show off or make believe just before 2019 polls so that it can artificially claim victory on many of its poll promises. One glaring sample is even though Dr SS who moved from Janata to BJP in 2013 advocates so much for abolition of personal IT and even present FM promised 5L p.a exemption limit before last lok sabha punjjab elections..But sadly nothing has been done so far even after 2+ yrs..

  • Our PM with his love of selfie is slowly becoming Greek God Narcissus. He has forgotten all his promises on Black Money, to Pursue corruption cases and now going by one rule “Come what may.. Me, Myself and My Gaddi”. I am slowly loosing hope on this PM as he is now becoming Vajpayee Part II who seems to secretly love congress and first family.

  • Let's see how our disciplined Fin Min respond to this. Why is it always that Dr. swamy has to pursue these cases relentlessly no matter which government is in power. The current PM in my view is an utter failure in pursuing the corruption charges. His government might not be indulging in corruption , but the failure to pursue big scams in previous governments amounts to the betrayal of the mandate he was given.
    Hats off to Dr.Swamy, his image is 1000 times better than the PM now, and It is only going to increase. The PMs comments that the scammers have perfected the art of loot and his machinery is incapable of unearthing the scams are outrageous..

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