Aircel-Maxis case: CBI allegations 'false', 'baseless', says Chidambaram
November 24, 2018 20:25
Congress leader P Chidambaram has termed as "false" and "baseless" the allegations of the CBI before a court here that he as finance minister had unlawfully granted FIPB approval to a Mauritius-based company in the Aircel-Maxis case.
The submissions were made by the politician in his rejoinder filed in response to the reply of the probe agency.
The CBI, in its reply to the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram, had alleged that he was not cooperating in the investigations.
"The averments (by the CBI) that the applicant (Chidambaram) had usurped the power of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, unlawfully granted the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval to Global Communication Services Ltd, Mauritius, and had chosen not to disclose facts which are in his exclusive knowledge are denied as being false, baseless and untenable," the politician said.
The rejoinder submissions were filed before Special Judge O P Saini through advocates P K Dubey and Arshdeep Singh.
"It is submitted that the FIPB was chaired by the secretary, economic affairs, and included four other secretaries (industry, commerce, external affairs and overseas Indian affairs), and the secretary of the administrative ministry concerned.
"Five of them were among the senior most IAS officers and sixth was a senior IFS officer of the ministry of external affairs. Each one of them had a long and distinguished record of service," the rejoinder said.
It said as per the normal procedure, the recommendations of the FIPB are submitted to the Ministry of Finance where they are once again examined by junior officers and then by the additional secretary and secretary before the file is put up to the competent authority (Finance Minister).
It is the FIPB that decides who is the competent authority in the given case, the rejoinder said.
"Once the CBI itself chose not to either arrest Chidambaram during investigation, i.e., from the date of registration of the FIR in 2011 until grant of interim protection by this court vide it's order dated July 23, or even issue any summons directing him to appear for questioning after December 6, 2015, the CBI cannot at this stage, that too after filing of the charge sheet on July 19, oppose the grant of bail to the applicant of the ground of alleged gravity of offence," according to the rejoinder.
Chidambaram, a former finance minister, claimed that the allegations made by the CBI were "unsubstantiated" and there was no need of his custodial interrogation, as sought by the agency. -- PTI
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