The Enforcement Directorate has summoned two former Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) officials to record their statements in connection with the Aircel-Maxis deal case.
While the CBI is probing the legality of an FIPB approval by the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram for investments worth over Rs. 3,000 crore by the Malaysia-based Maxis Group in Aircel, the Directorate is also looking into the issue in connection with its money laundering probe.
The approval was granted in March 2006.
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According to the agency sources, two of the officials who were involved in processing of files pertaining to investment proposals during that time period have now been summoned by the ED for questioning.
In March 2006, the threshold for FIPB clearance by the Finance Minister was Rs. 600 crore, and proposals for investment above the amount had to be referred to, and cleared by, the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
In a statement to the media, Mr. Chidambaram has earlier said that the FIPB had sought the approval of the Finance Minister in the Aircel-Maxis case in accordance with the rules and that the case was submitted through the Additional Secretary and Secretary, DEA.
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“Both of them recommended the case for approval. Approval was granted by me, as Finance Minister, in the normal course,” he had said.
The CBI had examined Mr. Chidambaram in December 2014 in connection with its investigation.
The Directorate has recently shared its findings with the CBI on the issue of FIPB clearance.
Last April, the ED had attached assets worth Rs.742.58 crore allegedly held by former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran and wife Kaveri Kalanithi in the case.
In another development, it is learnt that Mr. Chidambaram’s son Karti has — through his legal representatives — responded to the Directorate’s summons pertaining to certain alleged financial transactions between the Maxis Group and a company allegedly associated with him during 2007-11.