While Chidambaram has been listed as a co-accused in the supplementary charge sheet, his son Karti, was already an accused in the case.
In a major jolt to the former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed chargesheet against father and son, and 16 others as accused in Aircel Maxis money laundering case. While Chidambaram has been listed as a co-accused in the supplementary charge sheet, his son Karti, was already an accused in the case.
Also, Chidambaram's nephew, A Palaniappan, ex-finance secretaries Ashok Chawla and Ashok Jha and Maxis owners T Ananda Krishnan and Ralph Marsha, were also chargesheeted in the case. A total of 18 accused have been chargesheeted, including seven firms, out of which two firms are related to Karti.
After the agency filed the chargesheet, Chidambaram said, "CBI has been pressurised to file a charge sheet to support a preposterous allegation against me and officers with a sterling reputation. The case is now before the Hon'ble Court and it will be contested vigorously. I shall make no more public comment." Further, Congress leader Anand Sharma defended his former colleague by terming CBI's move as a "witch-hunt".
The chargesheet has been filed at Delhi's Patiala House Court, which is to take cognisance of the matter on July 31. Two former government officials have been charged with 'Abuse of Power'.
The agency is probing as to how Chidambaram, who was the finance minister in 2006, granted Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to a foreign firm when only Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was empowered to do it. The case pertains to grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to firm M/S Global Communication Holding Services Ltd in 2006 for investment in Aircel.
The senior Congress leader's role had come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of Rs 3,500 crore as well INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.
Earlier, the agency filed a case against the then former telecom minister, Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others alleging that Chidambaram had granted FIPB approval in March 2006 to Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis.
However, the Maran brothers and other accused, who were listed in the CBI charge sheet earlier, were discharged by the special court which had said that the agency had failed to produce any material against them to proceed with the trial.
Also, the ED is probing the role of Chidambaram and his son for money laundering in Aircel-Maxis deal and has also questioned the former union minister.
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