CBI names Chidambaram in charge sheet, agency “pressured”, he responds

Even before the CBI filed a supplementary charge sheet on Thursday in the Aircel Maxis case, there was high drama in the Lok Sabha. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey declared that CBI was about to name the former finance minister as an accused. The assertion prompted several opposition MPs on their feet and Mallikarjun Kharge wondered how the MP knew about it . He added that this was another proof that the CBI was acting at the behest of the Government and that it was a witchhunt.

Congress MP and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal told ANI, “ What do you expect from this Government? It will result in his acquittal. Remember the 2G case? This too will end the same way.”

Chidambaram himself tweeted , “CBI has been pressured to file a charge sheet to support a preposterous allegation against me and officers with a sterling reputation. The case is now before the Hon'ble Court and it will be contested vigorously. I shall make no more public comment.”

The then finance minister is accused of presiding over a meeting of FIPB in 2006 which cleared the Aircel-Maxis deal. Besides Chidambaram and his son Karthi, the CBI charge sheet names several senior officers, some of whom have retired. The CBI claims to have found two money trails. The Chidambarams had obtained bail from the court, restraining agencies from arresting them till August 7.

The charge sheet was filed before special CBI judge OP Saini who has fixed July 31 for considering the document.

The senior Congress leader's role had come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of ₹3,500 crore and INX Media case involving ₹305 crore.

It was during his tenure as the finance minister in the UPA-I government that clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) was granted to the two ventures in which alleged irregularities have been found.

How the drama unfolded in the parliament:

“I want to say... that the CBI is going to file a chargesheet and it will name the former finance minister,” BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said without naming Chidambaram, drawing vociferous protests from Congress members.

Almost immediately, Leader of the Congress Mallikarjun Kharge questioned as to how the BJP MP was aware of the impending CBI action, saying it indicated that the agency was acting in a “pre-planned” manner.

“It shows it is all pre-planned. How do you know it,” Kharge asked.

“You are mentioning this. It means you get reports (from CBI),” he said intervening during Dubey's speech on the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill.

Later, Dubey even named Chidambaram targeting him for his alleged role in other issues.

With PTI inputs