Talk to me, spare my son: P Chidambaram

Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram lashed out at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday for issuing summons to his son Karti Chidambaram in connection with an alleged corruption case in the Aircel-Maxis deal in the 2G scam. The Congress leader said that the agency should question him rather than “harassing” his son.

He said that the CBI is spreading “misinformation”, and it should stop doing so. In a series of tweets, he said: “In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB recommended and I approved minutes. CBI should question me and not harass Karti Chidambaram.” He further said, “Sad, CBI spreading misinformation. In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB officials have recorded statements before CBI that approval given was valid.”

The agency had summoned Karti to join the probe.

In reply, he said that there is no case made out against him, so he will not appear before the agency.

He cited that the special court in Delhi discharged in February this year former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others in the Aircel-Maxis deal case lodged by the CBI.

The agency is probing corruption by Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited and Chess Global Advisory Services Pvt Ltd, where Karti had been a director.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also probing alleged violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

This was the first time that a notice had been issued to Karti in the case being investigated since 2015. The Aircel-Maxis deal is being probed by both ED and CBI, and the case is part of the overall probe in the 2G scam case.

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.