Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and four others were on Friday chargesheeted by the Enforcement Directorate in the Special 2G court.
The sources said the matter should have been referred to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs as foreign investments above Rs 600 crore (Rs 6 billion) can only be cleared by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs headed by the Prime Minister.
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The agency had "almost finished" its probe into the matter, which involved Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, an official said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation told the Supreme Court that charge sheet in the controversial Aircel-Maxis deal involving former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran will be filed shortly as the Attorney General disagreed with the views of its Director Ranjit Sinha to drop the prosecution.
Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanidhi Maran and six others, including four companies, were on Friday chargesheeted by the CBI in a special court in the Aircel-Maxis deal case arising out of the investigation in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
P Chidambaram's son Karti was arrested on February 28 at the Chennai airport on his return from the United Kingdom, for his alleged role in facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance for INX Media Ltd. and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the CBI to go ahead with its probe in the Aircel-Maxis deal without waiting for necessary sanction against an official "holding high position" in connection with irregularities in the case arising out of 2G scam.
The CBI had registered a case against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother MP Kalanithi Maran, Malaysian business tycoon and Maxis owner T Ananda Krishnan, and Maxis Director Ralph Marshall in October 2011.
They were chargesheeted for alleged offences punishable under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Chidambaram was competent to give approval of upto Rs 600 crore but he gave the approval which was worth approximately Rs 3,500 crore
The agency, sources said, has issued the notices under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and they have summoned the accused to examine them and record their statements.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini took cognisance of the CBI's charge sheet filed against eight accused including four companies and summoned them on March 2, 2015.
Earlier, SC had given two weeks to prove Chidambaram deliberately granted FIPB clearance in 2006
Assets include Kalanithi Maran's shares worth Rs 139 cr in Sun Direct.
He was chargesheeted for the offences punishable under section 120-B
The CBI has completed its probe against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and others in 2G scam and will approach the Centre for taking sanction for prosecution, the agency told the Supreme Court.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday sought clarifications from Standard Chartered Bank officials in connection with its probe into former Aircel chief C Sivasankaran's allegations that the then Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran forced him to sell his company to Malaysia-based Maxis group in 2006.
Apart from them, Chidambaram's wife -- Nalini -- has been chargesheeted by the CBI in the Saradha chit-fund scam for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1.4 crore.
CBI had started preliminary inquiry into the deal on January 4, 2011 and nine months later on October 9 had registered the FIR.
In a setback to Maran brothers, the Madras high court on Wednesday dismissed petitions filed by Kalanithi Maran owned Sun TV and Kal Communications challenging the attachment of their properties by Enforcement Directorate in connection with money laundering probe in Aircel-Maxis deal.
Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran had "pressurised" and "forced" Chennai-based telecom promoter C Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in Aircel and two subsidiary firms to Malaysian firm Maxis Group in 2006, the CBI on Thursday told a special court.
The Congress leader is also being probed by ED in two separate money-laundering cases of Aircel-Maxis and INX Media.
Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram were named in the chargesheet filed by the CBI in the case on July 19.
Chidambaram has not been named as an accused in the FIR and the CBI is yet to file a chargesheet in the matter.
The Ministry had disallowed the group from taking part in auction.
The court had also directed Chidambaram to cooperate with the investigation in both the cases as and when required.
Apart from INX Media and Aircel-Maxis, the four other firms which are under the scanner are Diageo Scotland, Essar Steel, Katara Holdings and Elforge Ltd. These firms were granted FIPB approval when Chidambaram was the FM, reports Shrimi Choudhary.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing CBI and ED, contended that the Congress leader was evasive during interrogation and was giving long answers.
During the hearing, the Central Bureau of Investigation told the court that it has already filed its reply in the case.
The court directed Chidambaram to cooperate with the ED's investigation.
The probe agency made the submission in an affidavit filed before Justice A K Pathak, who listed the matter for hearing on August 1 and extended till then the interim protection against arrest granted to Chidambaram on May 31.
Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, stating that investigation into former textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran's role in the 2G spectrum scam has not been honestly conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The telecom industry is moving towards a five-plus one model.
CBI had lodged an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance granted to INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as union finance minister.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Member of Parliament Dayanidhi Maran has not so far been given a clean chit in 2G scam case, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday told the Supreme Court and objected to the allegation that its investigation in this case is "less than honest".
With the home ministry rejecting the renewal of broadcast licences to Sun group, is it end of the road for Maran brothers? R Ramasubramanian reports from Chennai.
In the wake of the 2G acquittals, here are a few high-profile cases in which question marks were raised by various courts over the CBI's probe.
Chidambaram, who was accompanied by police personnel in the police bus, was put in a special cell in the Asia's biggest prison complex as per the orders of the CBI court.
Maran's penchant for taking risks was visible last year again when he acquired Indian Premier League's Hyderabad cricket franchisee and named it Sun Risers.
Right from the early days of liberalisation, there have been political controversies surrounding several cases that landed on the FIPB table and which, in turn, have often led to court battles.
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