Court extends interim protection from arrest to Karti in Aircel-Maxis case

Special Judge O P Saini granted relief to the son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram after the Enforcement Directorate (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 adjournment in the matter.

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

The court had on April 16 granted interim relief to Karti till today after considering that both the investigative agencies had sought time to file their responses on 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, respectively.

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

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