New Delhi: Former Union minister P Chidambaramhas been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation on June 6 in the INX Media case.
Yesterday, the Delhi high court had granted Chidambaram interim protection from arrest till July 3.
Chidambaram’s role has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of Rs 3,500 crore and INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.
It was during his tenure as finance minister in the United Progressive Alliance-1 regime that Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance was granted to the two ventures in which alleged irregularities have been found.
In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15 last year against alleged irregularities in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was finance minister.
Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram was also arrested in the matter for allegedly receiving funds to the tune of Rs 10 lakh in the case.
Earlier, P Chidambaram was on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis case.
With central agencies moving fast in Aircel-Maxis case, Chidambaram had moved Delhi’s Patiala House Court, seeking protection from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case.
Senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal argued for Chidambaram in his anticipatory bail plea hearing.
Chidambaram has been directed by the court to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case on June 5. The court has sought a reply on the plea and said that no coercive action can be taken against him.
The court has already granted interim protection from arrest till July 10 to Mr. Chidambaram’s son Karti in two cases filed by the CBI and ED in 2011 and 2012, respectively in the Aircel-Maxis matter arising out of 2G spectrum cases.
The relief was granted to Mr. Karti after the ED sought time to argue on his application seeking anticipatory bail. The case pertains to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 by P Chidambaram when he was the Union finance minister in the Manmohan Singh government.
