Aircel-Maxis deal: AIADMK seeks action against Karti

The AIADMK members displayed copies of an English daily which has claimed that Karti has invested in real estate across the world, as per investigations by the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax authorities during searches at his premises.

Soon after the House was adjourned, AIADMK members distributed copies of the newspaper to BJP members. At one point of time, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge stood up to raise some issue, apparently relating to privilege notice against HRD Minister Smriti Irani over the Rohith Vemula suicide issue, but he was shouted down by AIADMK members.

According to the newspaper report, Chidambaram’s son had real estate investments in several countries including England, Dubai, Sri Lanka, France and USA. The report claimed that the documents recovered during the recent joint raids of the Enforcement Directorate and Investigation Wing of Income Tax in the Aircel-Maxis scam threw fresh light on Karti’s wealth acquired through his company, Advantage Strategic Consulting, which is under investigation in the Aircel-Maxis deal for financial transactions with telecom beneficiaries. 

These massive investments, transactions, acquisition of companies and properties abroad were executed by Advantage Strategic after the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006, claimed the report. The newspaper alleged that ED and IT have dispatched this information to Supreme Court, which is monitoring the probe on Aircel-Maxis scam, in a sealed cover and also shared this with their CBI counterparts. Both CBI and the ED have said in their chargesheets that FIPB clearance given by then Finance Minister Chidambaram to Maxis to acquire Aircel was totally illegal.

According to the investigators, the ED and I-T (Investigation Wing) are expected to contact their international counterparts to get more details from the 14 countries as per the United Nation’s Convention on prevention of money laundering. 

Meanwhile, in a statement issued following the uproar in Parliament, Karti P Chidambaram, has said his business was fully compliant with all laws and regulations of the country, and rejected charges of money laundering.