Former Union Minister P Chidambaram was today grilled by the ED for over eight hours in Aircel-Maxis case.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday reiterated that no FIR has been lodged against him in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case, even as he was grilled by the central probe agency for over eight hours. Chidambaram cried foul alleging that no FIR was registered against him, yet a probe had been initiated against him.
He said all the answers he gave to the agency were already recorded in government documents. “Appeared before the ED. The questions were about what is already recorded in the file. Hence, answers too were what is recorded in the file. Need to reiterate there is no FIR, no offence alleged, yet there is an investigation,” he tweeted.
The former finance and home minister said during the questioning by the ED, more than half the time was taken up by typing the answers without errors, reading the statement and signing it. The agency today recorded Chidambaram’s statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The senior Congress leader’s role has come under the scanner in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal, in which the ED had already questioned his son, Karti.
Last week, P Chidambaram had approached the court of Special Judge O P Saini seeking relief from arrest by the ED in the case. The same court today directed the ED not to take any coercive action or arrest him till July 10 in connection with the case.
The Aircel-Maxis cases pertains to grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to firm M/s Global Communication Holding Services Ltd. in 2006 for investment in Aircel.
(With PTI inputs)