Special court directs CBI, ED to file status report in Aircel-Maxis case

A special Delhi court directed CBI and ED to file a fresh status report in the Aircel-Maxis case as the court considered the matter to be quite serious in nature. However, Former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti are currently on bail in this case.

New Delhi: A special Delhi court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file a fresh status report in the Aircel-Maxis case.

While issuing the directions, district judge Sujata Kohli observed that the allegations mentioned in the charge sheet appeared to be "quite serious in nature."

The matter was earlier adjourned sine die.

Judge Kohli said that she was not inclined to adjourn the matter at all and all the adjournments were being given reluctantly and there is no such concept or term as 'adjourned sine die' under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

"I am of the considered opinion that keeping this matter as 'adjourned sine die', would not be conducive to the interest of justice and the file is revived/restored to its original number. CBI/ED had directed to file fresh/up to date status report," the judge said.

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti are currently on bail in the matter.

Predecessor Judge OP Saini, while granting the bail, had observed that the entire evidence related to the commission of the crime by the two accused was documentary in nature and is not liable to be tampered with by the two accused.

Both the accused are Members of Parliament and P Chidambaram is also the former finance and home minister of the country, considering these factors there is no apparent possibility of the accused fleeing from justice, it said.

The case, which is being probed by the CBI and ED, relates to alleged irregularities in grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006.

Chidambaram was the Union finance minister when the approval was granted.