The Delhi High Court on Wednesday suspended trial court proceedings against Congress Rajya Sabha member P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in response to a petition filed by the former Union Finance Minister.
The petition challenges a 2021 trial court judgment that recognized the ED’s chargesheet in the case despite the fact that the agency did not acquire a sanction for prosecution.
Chidambaram is being charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the Aircel-Maxis case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had charged that the Congress politician when serving as finance minister under the United Progressive Alliance, sanctioned the Aircel-Maxis agreement beyond his powers, benefiting particular individuals, and took bribes in return.
According to the ED, Chidambaram illegally obtained Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval for M/s Global Communications Services Holdings Ltd (GCSHL) to spend USD 800 million (about Rs 3565.91 crore) in the Aircel-Maxis agreement. The agency stated that this could only have been allowed by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
On Wednesday, Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri’s court issued a notice to the respondent ED, stating that it would issue a detailed order. The court indicated that the trial court procedures will be stayed in the interim, with the subject being considered again on January 22.