Court to CBI: Get nod in 2 months to prosecute Chidambaram

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted two months’ time to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to obtain sanction to prosecute former Union minister P Chidambaram and other serving or former public servants in the Aircel-Maxis deal case

The agency had on July 19 filed a charge sheet against the Congress leader, his son Karti, 10 individuals including public servants and six companies as accused in the case.

Special CBI Judge OP Saini allowed the CBI’s request for grant of some time after senior advocate Sonia Mathur, representing the agency, informed the judge that sanctions are awaited.

“Adjourn the matter for October 1,” the court said.

According to CBI sources, Chidambaram’s name is among the persons against whom sanction for prosecution from authorities concerned was awaited.

The court also adjourned a money laundering case, which is an off-shoot of the Aircel-Maxis deal case, against Karti and others, after Mathur and advocates NK Matta and Nitesh Rana requested an adjournemt on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ED had on July 13 filed a charge sheet against Karti and others for the alleged offence of money laundering. However, the former Union minister was not arrayed as an accused in the case.

In the case filed by CBI, Mathur told the court that the agency was expecting sanctions for prosecution from authorities concerned in about four weeks.

The counsel told the court that there were a few serving public servants and some retired ones against whom sanctions would be needed before proceeding with their prosecution in the case.

However, she did not disclose the names of the accused.

NEWDELHI: