Aircel-Maxis case: P Chidambaram gets relief from ED arrest until July 10

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram today got protection by a Delhi court from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) until July 10 in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case, reported ANI.

The ED then sought time from the court for filing a detailed reply in the case. The court fixed the matter for further hearing on July 10 + , the same date on which a hearing against the former minister's son Karti Chidambaram in the case is scheduled.

Last week, Chidambaram moved the Delhi court seeking protection from arrest in the case. The senior Congress leader moved his plea for anticipatory bail before Special Judge OP Saini, who directed Chidambaram to appear before the ED on June 5, that is today, as already summoned by the agency. At the time, the court, which issued notice to the ED seeking its reply by June 5 + , also directed the agency not to take any coercive action against Chidambaram in the matter till then.

In his plea, Chidambaram said all the evidence in the matter appears to be documentary in nature which is already in the possession of the incumbent government and nothing was to be recovered from him.

However, special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for the ED, opposed Chidambaram's plea saying he did not join the investigation today, for which the ED had already issued summons.

The Aircel-Maxis cases pertains to the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to firm M/S Global Communication Holding Services Ltd in 2006 for investment in Aircel.

The Supreme Court had on March 12 + directed investigating agencies -- the CBI and the ED -- to complete their probe into the 2G spectrum allocation cases, including the Aircel Maxis alleged money laundering case, in six months.

The ED had said that the FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case was granted in March 2006 by Chidambaram even though he was competent to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore and beyond that it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.