The CBI informed the Supreme Court on Monday that it was investigating various aspects of the Aircel-Maxis deal case.
The CBI’s submission came when Subramanian Swamy, Rajya Sabha member of the BJP, submitted that he had received a communication from the agency that the case was being investigated from “all angles”, including allegations that former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had ignored FIPB regulations by clearing the foreign investment proposal in the deal in 2006 without first having it vetted by the Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs, headed by the Prime Minister.
The Bench gave the CBI three weeks to submit a status report by the next hearing on May 2. The court took on record a report filed by the Enforcement Directorate in a sealed cover.
Mr. Swamy has contended in court that the CCEA should give the approval for foreign investment proposals for over ₹600 crore before FIPB approval. The total transactions in the Aircel-Maxis deal was about ₹3,500 crore or $800 million dollars, Mr. Swamy submitted on February 10.
‘Concrete material’
“Was he [Mr. Chidambaram] aware of the fact that the deal was over ₹600 crore and he had to send it to the CCEA,” Chief Justice Khehar had asked. The court then sought “concrete material” from Mr. Swamy to prove his allegation.
Recently, the 2G Special Court had discharged all the accused, including the Maran brothers, in the Aircel Maxis case.
Mr. Chidambaram, in an affidavit before the Madras High Court last year, had countered the allegation against him. He had said that the CBI had recorded the statements of all FIPB officials.
