Aircel-Maxis case: Chidambaram gets protection from arrest till June 5

Patiala House Court directed former Finance Minister P Chidambaram to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 5th June in connection with Aircel Maxis case. The court also ruled that no coercive action can be taken against Chidambaram till then.

Chidambaram has protection from arrest till the next date of hearing.

The court has already granted interim protection from arrest till July 10 to Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram 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.

In April, Chidambaram's son Karti was questioned by the ED in connection with alleged money laundering in Aircel Maxis. Karti was questioned for the first time by the ED in connection with the case which is related to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 by his father.

It is suspected by the ED that an alleged payment of Rs 26 lakh was made by Aircel Televentures Limited to ASCPL, the firm allegedly linked to Karti, within a few days of the FIPB approval, they claimed.

(With PTI inputs)