Aircel-Maxis case: Court extends interim protection from arrest to Karti till July 10

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted Congress leader and businessman Karti Chidambaram interim protection from arrest till July 10 in two cases filed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Aircel-Maxis matter arising out of 2G spectrum cases.

Special Judge O.P. Saini granted relief to Karti, son of senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, after the ED sought time to argue on Karti's application seeking anticipatory bail.

"A related matter is pending before the Supreme Court and that will be taken up for hearing on July 2," advocate Nitesh Rana, appearing for the ED, said while seeking an adjournment.

The submission was supported by the CBI counsel, who requested the court to put up the matter for the next date.

On April 16, the court granted interim relief to Karti till May 2 after considering that both the investigating agencies had sought time to file their responses to his anticipatory bail plea.

Karti had filed a plea seeking protection from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis matter, in which the CBI and the ED lodged cases in 2011 and 2012.

The matter pertains to grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to M/S Global Communication Holding Services Ltd. for investment in Aircel.

In September, 2015, the CBI filed its status report on a probe into the FIPB approvals in the case. In June, 2016, it issued notice to A. Palaniappan, director of Chess Management Services, a company promoted by Karti.

PTI