Premium
This is an archive article published on February 1, 2020

Aircel-Maxis: Court revives case involving Chidambaram, Karti

Chidambaram was Finance Minister when Maxis acquired a stake in Aircel. It is alleged that he played a role in getting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval for the deal.

 Aircel-Maxis case P Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram Aircel Maxis case, Indian Express news Former Union Minister P Chidambaram (Express photo: Partha Paul)

A Delhi court has revived the Aircel-Maxis case involving senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti, observing that keeping this matter ‘adjourned sine die’ would not be conducive to the interest of justice.

Chidambaram was Finance Minister when Maxis acquired a stake in Aircel. It is alleged that he played a role in getting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval for the deal.

Former Special Judge O P Saini had on September 6 court adjourned proceedings sine die, noting that the CBI and the ED were seeking repeated adjournments. Saini had granted anticipatory bail to the Chidambarams in the corruption case filed by the CBI as well as in the money laundering matter lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the Aircel-Maxis deal.

After District and Sessions Judge Sujata Kohli took over the court vacated by Saini, she found there was zero pendency. When she enquired about it from the court staff, she was informed that her predecessor had adjourned the Aircel-Maxis case investigated by both the CBI and ED, court records show.

The judge then perused the files pertaining to the case and found that “orders in continuity show that after filing of charge sheet, the CBI was seeking adjournments time and again, and in various order sheets it was directed that there shall be no further request for adjournment and that it was to be treated as final opportunity”, court records show.

She then observed, “Since I have gone through the chargesheet, the allegations appear to be quite serious in nature. The earlier order sheets of the Predecessor were clearly showing that he was not inclined to adjourn the matter at all and all the adjournments were being given reluctantly. Thirdly, there is no such concept or term as ‘adjourned sine die’ under the scheme of CrPC.”

Directing the CBI and ED to file a fresh status report, she said, “I am of the considered opinion that keeping this matter as ‘adjourned sine die’ would not be conducive to the interest of justice and the file is revived/restored to its original number.”

Story continues below this ad

The Aircel-Maxis deal, the agencies have said, was worth over Rs 3,500 crore and should have been referred to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs since the Finance Minister had authority to clear only FDI approvals up to Rs 600 crore through FIPB.

The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Advertisement
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments