Aircel-Maxis Case: Delhi Court Asks ED, CBI To Complete Probe By May 4

New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Thursday issued a May 4 deadline to the Enforcement Directorate and CBI in the probe into the Aircel-Maxis case. The Aircel-Maxis case became a high profile one in the wake of allegations that former finance minister, P. Chidambaram and his son, Karti Chidambaram had been beneficiaries in the deal.

The probe agencies will now have to wind up the investigation in the case in which the Chidambaram's face allegations in over two months with the court setting a clear deadline.

Karti Chidambaram, was on Tuesday, permitted by a Delhi to go abroad to attend the business meeting and tennis tournaments in the UK and France. Special Judge Ajay Kumar asked Karti Chidambaram to share his itinerary with the probe agencies.

The Aircel-Maxis deal first came under the lens of the investigation agencies in 2011 following a complaint with the CBI by Aircel owner C Sivasankaran. The Aircel owner had lodged a complaint alleging that he had been coerced to sell his stake to Maxis. The Aircel owner also accused former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran of striking a quid pro quo deal in the form of investments made by the Maxis group, through the Astro network, in Sun TV network owned by the Marans.

BJP MP and top lawyer, Subramanian Swamy accused Karti Chidambaram, the son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, of receiving five per cent stake in Aircel in 2006, in a quid pro deal to help Maxis. Dr. Swamy alleged that the former finance minister, Chidambaram withheld Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance of the deal to ensure that his son received the five-per cent share in Aircel.