Chennai: Former Union finance minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday informed the Madras high court that proceedings initiated against his son Karthi Chidambaram have been undertaken to cause political embarrassment to him and besmirch his reputation and that of members of his family.
Chidambaram said this in his affidavit filed before Justice B. Rajendran during the course of hearing of the petition from Karthi Chidambaram, seeking to quash the summons issued by Enforcement Directorate against him, requiring his appearance in connection with its money laundering probe in the Aircel-Maxis deal of 2G scam. Justice Rajendran reserved orders after hearing elaborate arguments from both sides.
In his affidavit, Chidambaram said he understood that during the course of hearing on November 25 this year, the prosecutor on behalf of ED made certain observations regarding the approval granted by FIPB and submitted that the investigation against his son was on that approval.
CBI had investigated the FIPB approval fully, even after the filing of the charge sheet in the Aircel-Maxis case, and has submitted status reports to the Supreme Court.
CBI had recorded statements of all FIPB officials including Ashok Chawla, then additional secretary and Ashok Jha, then secretary and chairman FIPB (in the department of economic affairs).
CBI also recorded his statement on December 6, 2014. All persons who gave statements to CBI affirmed that the approval was granted by FIPB and recommended to the competent authority with the Extant Guidelines. The finance minister granted approval in the ordinary course of government business, he added.
He said the chargesheet in the Aircel-Maxis case was filed on August 28, 2014. The statements in respect of the FIPB approval from the officials concerned were recorded thereafter in the course of further investigation under section 173 (8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. CBI has not found or reported any offence under any law on the FIPB approval, he said.
ED was conducting further probe relating to FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency had said the approval was given when Chidambaram was the finance minister in 2006.
