The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday informed a city court that its money laundering probe in the Aircel-Maxis case was under way, while the CBI said responses to the Letters Rogatory (judicial requests) sent to Malaysia were awaited.
Both the probe agencies filed status reports of their investigation, in a sealed cover, as sought by the court.
The District and Sessions court marked both the ED and CBI cases to Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Kuhar. The matter has been listed for hearing on February 20.
Last month, the court revived the cases that were earlier adjourned sine die by then Special Judge O.P. Saini in September last, observing that the two agencies were seeking adjournment after adjournment.
Last year, the court granted bail to former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram in the CBI and ED cases. They have refuted all the charges against them.
The probe agencies are probing the alleged irregularities in FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) clearance to the Aircel-Maxis deal during Mr. Chidambaram's tenure.
In 2018, the ED filed a supplementary charge sheet naming the former Finance Minister apart from others.
It alleged receipt of Rs.1.16 crore in lieu of the FIPB approval in March 2006 for investments by Global Communication and Services Holdings Limited, Mauritius, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maxis Berhad.
“The material, inter alia, reveals routing of proceeds of crime in the guise of bona fide business deals by the beneficiaries of illegal FIPB approval, in the companies of Mr. Karti…investigation has revealed the financial linkage of Mr. Karti and Mr. Chidambaram with these companies,” the ED alleged.
It filed the first charge sheet against Mr. Karti and others after attaching assets worth Rs.1.16 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
