Aircel-Maxis Deal: Delhi HC stays trial against Chidambaram

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed trial court proceedings against former Union minister P Chidambaram in a money laundering case connected to the Aircel-Maxis deal.

Issuing notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Chidambaram's plea, the court ordered that the proceedings against Chidambaram shall remain till the next date of hearing.

Chidambaram petitioned the HC challenging the trial court order taking cognisance of the complaint moved by the ED against him and his son Karti Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case.


Chidambaram's counsel argued that the trial Court could not have taken cognisance of the ED's prosecution complaint (equivalent of a chargesheet) without seeking prosecution sanction.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED are investigating alleged irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to an investment deal between now-defunct telecom company Aircel and Malaysia's Maxis.

The nod was given in 2006 when Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.

At the time when the ₹3,500 crore Aircel-Maxis deal went through, it is alleged that Chidambaram and Karti received kickbacks to ensure the FIPB clearance. Both the CBI and ED filed their chargesheets in the case in July 2018.

It may be mentioned that the Supreme Court recently held that the ED is also required to seek sanction under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to prosecute public servants under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).