ED presents sanction order to prosecute P. Chidambaram in Aircel Maxis case

The Enforcement Directorate ED has placed the prosecution sanction order received from the competent authority against P Chidambaram the then Union Finance Minister for the offence of money laundering in the Aircel Maxis deal before the Special Court according to a statement issued by the financial investigative agency on ThursdayThe prosecution sanction order which was obtained on February 10 2026 has been placed before the Special Rouse Avenue Court to expedite the trial in the case the ED statement saidThe ED had initiated the investigation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA on October 9 2011 registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI in the Aircel Maxis case against offences punishable under Section 120B read with Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 and Sections 8 132 and 131d of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988In the case filed immediately the investigation has revealed that Chidambaram has granted the Foreign Investment Promotion Board FIPB approval to Aircel Maxis in lieu of the quid pro quoIn the Aircel Maxis deal the foreign investor Maxis applied for approval of the government for FDI of USD 800 million Rs 356591 crore for which the competent authority for approval was Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs CCEAHowever as part of larger conspiracy approval was fraudulently and dishonestly granted by the then Finance Minister Chidambaram on March 20 2006 who was competent to consider and approve FDI proposals involving total investment of Rs 600 crore or less the statement notedInvestigation has revealed that illegal gratification of Rs 116 crore was received by Karti Chidambaram in his companies Ms Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited ASCPL and Ms Chess Management Services Private Limited CMSPLInvestigation has revealed financial transactions between P Chidambaram and his son Karti ChidambaramInvestigation has also said that funds of ASCPL have also been spent for and on behalf of P Chidambaram the statement saidThe proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 116 crore have been provisionally attached and that has been confirmed by the adjudicating authority with order dated March 12 2018Subsequently a prosecution complaint under Sections 44 and 45 read with Sections 3 and 4 of the PMLA dated June 13 2018 and the supplementary prosecution complaint dated October 25 2018 was filed before the Special PMLA Court at New Delhis Rose Avenue wherein P Chidambaram was arraigned as accused number sixThe Special Court vide its order dated November 27 2021 took cognisance of the commission of an offence of money laundering The Enforcement Directorate has been making all efforts to fast track the trial in the case the statement saidThe Supreme Court pronounced a judgement on November 6 2024 in the case Enforcement Directorate vs Bibhu Prasad Acharya etc and held that the requirement of the prosecution sanction under Section 1971 of the CrPC is applicable to a complaint filed under Section 441b of the PMLA 2002 as wellSubsequent to the Apex courts judgment many accused persons charged under the PMLA 2002 have challenged the trial proceedings in multiple legal forums leading to delay in the trialTo counter such delay and to comply with the Supreme Court order the ED has swiftly initiated remedial actions by seeking prosecution sanctions in all such prosecution complaints involving public servants the statement notedTherefore in light of the said order of the Supreme Court the sanction was obtained from the competent authority on February 10 2026 along with this court order under Section 197 of Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 Section 218 of Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 dated February 10 2026 for prosecuting P Chidambaram in respect of the offence of money laundering the statement saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever