<p>Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday defended his son, who the opposition said was involved in a controversial telecom deal, by asking Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley in the Rajya Sabha to check old accounts of the companies in question before making allegations.</p>.<p>“It would be much simpler if somebody took a dagger and plunged into my heart rather than questioning my integrity,” Chidambaram said in the Upper House after Jaitley charged him of getting involved in corrupt practices during his tenure as the finance minister.<br /><br />Jaitley replied that the opposition was not holding a dagger to anybody’s heart bur rather raising questions on two highly doubtful clearances by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board and “involvement” of Chidambaram and his son to ensure transparency in the governance.<br /><br />The UPA government came out in full support of Chidambaram with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee clarifying in both Houses that the controversial FIPB approvals were given in normal courses after due consultation without any delay and there was no scope for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation.<br /><br />Chidambaram's role came under the scanner when Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy alleged his involvement in one of contentions telecom deals in the wake of 2G controversy.<br /><br />Swami alleged that in 2006, Karti Chidambaram owned 94 per cent equity in Ausbridge Holding and Investments (P) Ltd. Before the a deal was inked between Aircel and Maxis, Ausbridge bought shares in the holding company for Aircel, named Advantage Strategic Consultancy (P) Ltd.<br /><br />Swamy claimed that Karti made considerable profits after Chidambaram cleared Maxis' purchase of Aircel.<br /><br />Clarifying his position, Chidambarm said Ausbridge was a start-up company in which his son invested Rs 1.80 lakh as one of the promoters. Karti’s friend Rajesh was another promoter who chipped in with Rs 20,000, which made Karti 94 per cent stakeholder of the start up. He, however, has sold his entire stake to Rajesh and his wife later.<br /><br />One company named Advantage Strategic Consulting Limited, provided consultancy service to Aircel and was paid for its service in 2005-06. Ausbridge made a passive investment in ASCL in March 2011 – five years after the allegedly tainted deal, he said.<br /><br />Chidambaram admitted that the promoters of ASCL and Ausbridge knew each other as they were Chennai-based young people who were entitled to start business. “But no members of my family and I have any equity in any telecom company including Aircel and Maxis,” he said.<br /><br />Jaitley refused to buy Chidamaram's arguments and asserted that there were serious doubts, which had not been cleared. For instance, Ausbridge and Aircel shared the same web address and email way back in 2006-07 clearly demonstrating the proximity between the two firms.<br /></p>
<p>Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday defended his son, who the opposition said was involved in a controversial telecom deal, by asking Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley in the Rajya Sabha to check old accounts of the companies in question before making allegations.</p>.<p>“It would be much simpler if somebody took a dagger and plunged into my heart rather than questioning my integrity,” Chidambaram said in the Upper House after Jaitley charged him of getting involved in corrupt practices during his tenure as the finance minister.<br /><br />Jaitley replied that the opposition was not holding a dagger to anybody’s heart bur rather raising questions on two highly doubtful clearances by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board and “involvement” of Chidambaram and his son to ensure transparency in the governance.<br /><br />The UPA government came out in full support of Chidambaram with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee clarifying in both Houses that the controversial FIPB approvals were given in normal courses after due consultation without any delay and there was no scope for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation.<br /><br />Chidambaram's role came under the scanner when Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy alleged his involvement in one of contentions telecom deals in the wake of 2G controversy.<br /><br />Swami alleged that in 2006, Karti Chidambaram owned 94 per cent equity in Ausbridge Holding and Investments (P) Ltd. Before the a deal was inked between Aircel and Maxis, Ausbridge bought shares in the holding company for Aircel, named Advantage Strategic Consultancy (P) Ltd.<br /><br />Swamy claimed that Karti made considerable profits after Chidambaram cleared Maxis' purchase of Aircel.<br /><br />Clarifying his position, Chidambarm said Ausbridge was a start-up company in which his son invested Rs 1.80 lakh as one of the promoters. Karti’s friend Rajesh was another promoter who chipped in with Rs 20,000, which made Karti 94 per cent stakeholder of the start up. He, however, has sold his entire stake to Rajesh and his wife later.<br /><br />One company named Advantage Strategic Consulting Limited, provided consultancy service to Aircel and was paid for its service in 2005-06. Ausbridge made a passive investment in ASCL in March 2011 – five years after the allegedly tainted deal, he said.<br /><br />Chidambaram admitted that the promoters of ASCL and Ausbridge knew each other as they were Chennai-based young people who were entitled to start business. “But no members of my family and I have any equity in any telecom company including Aircel and Maxis,” he said.<br /><br />Jaitley refused to buy Chidamaram's arguments and asserted that there were serious doubts, which had not been cleared. For instance, Ausbridge and Aircel shared the same web address and email way back in 2006-07 clearly demonstrating the proximity between the two firms.<br /></p>
