Congress leader P. Chidambaram is accused of illegally approving foreign investments and taking benefits while he was the Union Finance Minister.
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Jagran correspondent, New Delhi. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed the prosecution sanction order obtained against former Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis deal and INX Media money laundering case in the District Court located at Rouse Avenue. The agency said that this order was presented in the court with the aim of expediting the hearing of the case.
According to the ED, it had initiated investigation in the Aircel-Maxis case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on the basis of the FIR registered by the CBI on October 9, 2011.
The agency alleges that P. Chidambaram, being the then Finance Minister, gave foreign investment approval to Aircel-Maxis on March 20, 2006, whereas since the proposed investment amount was more than Rs 600 crore, its approval came under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
ED said that investigation revealed that illegal benefits were taken in exchange for this approval and an amount of Rs 1.16 crore was received through the companies. This amount was temporarily attached on 23 September 2017.
Took cognizance of money laundering crime
The agency said that in this case, the prosecution complaint was filed on 13 June 2018 and the supplementary complaint on 25 October 2018 in the special PMLA court, in which P. Chidambaram was made an accused. The special court had taken cognizance of the money laundering offense on November 27, 2021. ED said that the Supreme Court had clarified in its decision given on November 6, 2024 that even in PMLA cases, prosecution sanction is necessary under Section 197(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Crime proceeds of approximately Rs 65.88 crore
In the INX Media Private Limited case, ED had started investigation on the basis of CBI FIR registered on May 15, 2017. The agency says that while he was the Finance Minister, FIPB approval was given to INX Media and benefits were taken in return. The investigation is said to have revealed crime proceeds of approximately Rs 65.88 crore.
According to the ED, this amount was invested in various financial transactions through shell companies and was used in investments and properties. In this case, assets worth Rs 53.93 crore were temporarily attached on 10 October 2018 and Rs 11.04 crore on 31 March 2023.
The agency said that the prosecution complaint in this case was filed on June 1, 2020 and the court took cognizance on March 24, 2021. Later on 16 December 2024, a supplementary prosecution complaint was also filed.
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