Swamy complains to PM about Chidambaram,son

While attempts to talk to Karti failed since he is out of the country,sources close to him strongly denied Swamy’s allegations,terming these as “blatant lies”. ”Mr Swamy conveniently muddies facts and fiction to come up with inferences of his choosing. No company directly or indirectly held by Karti Chidambaram owns or owned in the past any equity directly or indirectly in Aircel or for that matter is any telecom company,” sources said.

Swamy is petitioner in a case in the Supreme Court where he is seeking to make Chidambaram a co-accused along with former Telecom Minister A Raja in the 2G pricing case. On April 24,the SC reserved its order on whether to issue a notice to Chidambaram on the plea.

In his three-page letter,dated April 24,Swamy has said Chidambaram should be asked to resign as Home Minister. He also alleged that Karti benefitted from Chidambaram’s position as Finance Minister in the UPA-I,allegedly earning huge profits during the sale of Aircel which Chidambaram sanctioned in 2006. ”He (P Chidambaram) used his position to benefit his son,” Swamy said.

He alleged on March 31,2006,there was a financial transaction worth Rs 2,600,444 between Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited,in which Karti holds majority share,and Aircel Televentures Limited,which at that time owned Aircel and Aircel Cellular.

He alleged that Karti’s company gave this money as loan to Aircel but it was later converted into shares.

”Karti became five per cent share holder in Aircel,” Swamy claimed. He said when Maxis acquired Aircel,Karti continued to remain a shareholder.

Swamy claimed in 2005,Malaysian telecom company Maxis approached Aircel’s then owner,C Sivasankaran,for the sale of 74 per cent stake for about Rs 4,000 crore.

This deal,Swamy claimed,required the clearance of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). ”But Chidambaram delayed it because he wanted a cut. This is my allegation,” Swamy said.

He alleged before the deal was cleared by the FIPB,Ausbridge Holding and Investments Pvt Ltd,in which Karti Chidambaram was a 94 per cent equity holder,bought shares in Advantage Strategic Consultancy Pvt Ltd,which had a controlling interest in Aircel. When the deal was cleared by the FIPB,Karti made huge profits,he said.

Swamy said he has written to the CBI,Enforcement Directorate and Registrar of Companies about the alleged irregularities.

Incidentally,Maxis is already under CBI scanner for being one of the alleged beneficiaries of the 2G scam,with former Aircel chief C Sivasankaran alleging Dayanidhi Maran favoured Maxis in its takeover bid. The CBI which is investigating the deal has alleged that Maran received Rs 547 crore as kickbacks from Maxis.

Swamy also said if the Prime Minister didn’t act on his complaint,he would file a case,seeking an independent probe into the matter.

Swamy also alleged that M/s Kaiser Surya Samudra Resorts Pvt Ltd,allegedly controlled by Karti,had been granted clearance by the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority and other departments in 2009-2010 to construct a 4.62 hectare,beach front-luxury resort at Mutukad village.

He accused the previous K Karunanidhi government in Tamil Nadu of having given all clearances in ”lightning speed” to this project,allegedly violating all norms.

Swamy claimed ”several people and previous owners” of the properties and lands bought for the project had complained there was ”a heavy element of coercion in the acquisition of land”. He alleged there was ”a huge trail and flow of illegal fund in this project and the Registrar of Company in Chennai has no documents or details or fund flow of this huge project in their records”.

Swamy said he has brought these alleged violations to Chief Minister J Jayalalitha’s notice. In a letter written to her earlier this month,he has requested her to institute a probe.

On the allegation about the resort,sources close to Karti Chidambaram said,”No construction has taken place at the so-called resort. It’s a barren piece of land. Also,when nothing was purchased in 2008,how could have Mr Swamy spoken to the previous owners? It’s a lie.”