New Delhi:
In tweets this morning, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said the CBI should "not harass" his son Karti Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case and "question me".
Karti Chidambaram yesterday refused to appear before the investigating agency for questioning in the case, which involves foreign investment clearance to the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006, when his father was union finance Minister. He said a special court had discharged all the accused and ended proceedings, a claim strongly contradicted by the CBI, which asserts that the investigation is still on.
P Chidambaram today hit out at the CBI on social media, accusing it of "spreading misinformation".
In 2006, Aircel was sold to Maxis, owned by Malaysian billionaire T Ananda Krishnan. According to the CBI's chargesheet, the Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings, a subsidiary of Maxis, had requested approval for an investment of 800 million dollars in Aircel.
Though a cabinet panel led by the Prime Minister should have signed off on the deal, the CBI alleged, then finance minister P Chidambaram unilaterally cleared it.
P Chidambaram was examined in 2014 by the agency in connection with the case.
Earlier this year, Mr Chidambaram had said that the deal was sent for approval to him by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board or FIPB, which reports to the Finance Ministry. "FIPB consists of five Secretaries to the Government of India...who.... submitted the case to the Finance Minister and sought approval. As FM, I granted approval in the normal course of business,'' he said..
Karti Chidambaram yesterday refused to appear before the investigating agency for questioning in the case, which involves foreign investment clearance to the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006, when his father was union finance Minister. He said a special court had discharged all the accused and ended proceedings, a claim strongly contradicted by the CBI, which asserts that the investigation is still on.
P Chidambaram today hit out at the CBI on social media, accusing it of "spreading misinformation".
In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB recommended and I approved minutes. CBI should question me and not harass Karti Chidambaram.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 15, 2017
Sad CBI spreading misinformation. In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB officials have recorded statements before CBI that approval given was valid.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 15, 2017
In 2006, Aircel was sold to Maxis, owned by Malaysian billionaire T Ananda Krishnan. According to the CBI's chargesheet, the Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings, a subsidiary of Maxis, had requested approval for an investment of 800 million dollars in Aircel.
Though a cabinet panel led by the Prime Minister should have signed off on the deal, the CBI alleged, then finance minister P Chidambaram unilaterally cleared it.
P Chidambaram was examined in 2014 by the agency in connection with the case.
Earlier this year, Mr Chidambaram had said that the deal was sent for approval to him by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board or FIPB, which reports to the Finance Ministry. "FIPB consists of five Secretaries to the Government of India...who.... submitted the case to the Finance Minister and sought approval. As FM, I granted approval in the normal course of business,'' he said..
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