Aircel Maxis: Delhi Court grants day's exemption to P Chidambaram from personal appearance

New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi Court on Monday granted exemption from personal appearance for the day to former Union minister P Chidambaram in corruption and money laundering cases filed against him and his son Karti by the CBI and ED in relation to the Aircel Maxis deal.

Special Judge M K Nagpal granted the relief to Chidambaram after his lawyer Arshdeep Singh informed the court that he was not able to appear before it since he had a preplanned travelling schedule.

The court allowed his exemption application for the day, noting that he was granted anticipatory bail in the matter earlier.

Meanwhile, the court directed Karti, also out on anticipatory bail in the matter, to file an application seeking regular bail after he appeared before it.

The court also directed the probe agencies to supply copies of the charge sheet and documents to the accused and their lawyers.

The agencies has arrayed several individuals and firms as accused in the charge sheet.

The accused appeared before the court in pursuance of summons issued against them after the court took cognizance of the charge sheets filed by probe agencies in the matter.

Earlier, the court had directed the CBI and the ED to file a status report in the Aircel Maxis case.

The case relates to alleged irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal. The approval was granted in 2006 when P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.

The CBI and the ED had alleged that Chidambaram, as finance minister, had granted approval to the deal beyond his capacity benefiting certain persons and received kickbacks.

India prepared to fight Omicron variant of coronavirus: Health and Family Welfare Minister

New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) India is prepared to fight the Omicron variant of coronavirus and the country's vaccine manufacturing capacity will be increased to 45 crore doses per month in the next two months, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Buffer stocks of medicine and oxygen have been prepared to mitigate any crisis and 48,000 ventilators have been distributed to states, the minister said.

Giving an update on the status of COVID-19 vaccinations in India, Mandaviya said 88 percent of the eligible population has been given the first dose and 58 percent second dose.

Speaking at a discussion in the Upper House on the situation arising out of cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 virus in the country, the minister said it has been declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation, and the government is keeping a close watch on the situation.

Noting that the variant is spreading globally, Mandaviya said so far 161 cases of Omicron variant infections have been reported in the country and the government has already taken steps to tackle it.

He said the government has identified 'at risk' countries where the variant has been reported. People coming from those countries are required to take mandatory tests on arrival to India with seven days isolation at home with another testing again after seven days.

The Centre is in constant and regular touch with states and experts on the matter to understand the effect of the variant on the population, he added.

He said India's vaccine manufacturing capacity has also increased and will further rise.

At present, the capacity is 31 crore doses per month and it will be increased to 45 crore dose per month in the next two months, he said adding two more companies have submitted their vaccine data seeking emergency use authorisation.