The Aircel-Marxis case, which involved former Union finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, has been adjourned indefinitely by the Delhi Court on Friday, noting that probe agencies CBI and Enforcement Directorate were seeking repeated adjournments.
Special Judge OP Saini adjourned the matter without giving any date for further hearing, saying that the prosecution may approach the court as and when the investigation is complete. ED and CBI have sought adjournment, asking the matter to be listed for first week of October.
The court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to the Chidambarams in the corruption case filed by the CBI as well as in the money laundering matter lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the Aircel-Maxis deal. The matter was listed for arguments on the cognizance of chargesheet in the case.
However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate respectively, sought adjournment on the ground that response to Letters Rogatory (LRs) were awaited.
“Prosecution seeking date after dates. Matter deferred sine die (indefinitely). Prosecution asked to approach the Court as and when the investigation is complete and as and when they receive Letters Rogatory (LRs) from various countries,” the court said.
CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are probing how Karti Chidambaram received clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board or FIPB for the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father P Chidambaram was Union finance minister.
CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had alleged that the Congress leader, during his tenure as finance minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, granted approval to the deal beyond his capacity benefiting certain persons, and received kickbacks.
The senior Congress leader is currently in Tihar jail under a judicial custody till September 19 for his involvement in the INX Media case.
Accepting the CBI’s argument that he should be sent to judicial custody, the special CBI court said that Chidambaram will remain in judicial custody even as the 74-year-old leader has already spent 15 days in CBI custody after he was arrested by the CBI on the night of 21 August.