No wrongdoing by P Chidambaram in Aircel-Maxis deal: Govt

NEW DELHI: Government today sought to clear the air over the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006, ruling out any wrongdoing by the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the grant of FIPB clearance as Opposition mounted attack on his family with fresh charges in Parliament.

Chidambaram, whose son was targeted by the Opposition, himself denied any illegality by any member of his family or himself and said the company in question 'Advantage Strategic Consulting' could be probed by Finance Ministry.

Linking the controversial FIPB clearance to Aircel-Maxis with business transactions of Ausbridge, a company earlier co-owned by Chidambaram's son, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha that the e-mail and web address of Ausbridge Holdings and Investments and Advantage Strategic Consulting, which is alleged to have invested in Aircel-Maxis, were the same in 2006.

Seeking to clear the air over the issue which has rocked Parliament for last few days, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee made statements in both the Houses, dismissing allegation of any delay in the deal.

Giving details about dates of application for investment and the grant of final FIPB approval, Mukherjee said there were two separate proposals which processed in "normal course" without any delay.

"There is no scope for any misunderstanding and misinterpretation.....In both cases there was no delay in granting the approval", he said.

He was responding to a question by Jaitley as to whether Advantage Strategic Consulting company had a dealing with Aircel-Maxis on "the eve of" FIPB clearance and what was the nature of this.

Mukherjee said financial investment was made by Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, Mauritius, to acquire
73.99 per cent equity in Aircel Ltd on January 6, 2006.