ED questions Chidambaram in Aircel-Maxis PMLA case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) once again questioned former finance minister P Chidambaram in connection with the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case on Friday.

The ED sleuths put across a fresh set of questions to Chidambaram in connection with the case which pertains to grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to firm M/S Global Communication Holding Services Ltd in 2006 for investment in Aircel.

Chidambaram's statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), official sources said.

This comes days after the ED recorded statements of some FIPB officials in connection with the case. They were confronted with some specific queries on the circumstances and procedures adopted by the FIPB (now-defunct) while giving approval to the Aircel-Maxis deal during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.

Filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court earlier in March, the ED had alleged that Chidambaram was part of the “conspiracy” to give FIPB clearance to the Aircel-Maxis by concealing facts so that the matter was not referred to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

Both Chidambaram and his son Karti, who too have so far been questioned twice by the ED in connection with the case, have maintained that all accusations against them are baseless and part of “a witch-hunt” carried out at the instance of the Modi government to silence the Opposition.