National
Karti refuses to appear before CBI in Aircel Maxis case
New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, on Thursday refused to appear before the CBI in connection with a case related to FIPB clearance in 2006 in the Aircel Maxis deal when his father was Finance Minister.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its summon issued on Wednesday, had asked Karti Chidambaram to appear at its headquarters in the CGO complex in south Delhi’s Lodhi Road area for questioning today (Thursday).
In his written response through a courier service, Karti’s lawyer Arun Natarajan informed the agency that his client would not present himself for questioning as directed, saying a special court had discharged all the accused in the matter.
Natarajan said the response had been sent through fax and email also.
“All proceedings connected with the said (case)… were also terminated,” the response said.
It said after the discharge of the accused and “termination” of the proceedings, the CBI will not have jurisdiction to issue summons in connection with the case.
In its response, the CBI said its summons to Karti was “valid” and his claim on quashing of proceedings by the court was “wrong”.
The CBI said an appeal was made in the High Court in May against Dayanidhi Maran, Kalanithi Maran, and two companies discharged by a trial court.
The CBI said its investigation on points mentioned in its chargesheet continued, including Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance on a quid pro quo basis. “The proceeding in the trial court is on. Karti’s claim that the case has been quashed is wrong.”
“Four individuals and four companies were charge-sheeted. An Interpol notice against two Malaysian individuals and two Malaysian companies has been issued. So, the investigation in the case is still on and Karti was summoned as part of the ongoing probe,” a CBI official said.
The CBI wants to question Karti over the alleged money laundering through his firms in the Aircel-Maxis tie-up in 2008, the official said.
The summons come days after Karti Chidambaram was directed by the Supreme Court to present himself before the CBI in relation to the INX Media case, wherein he was accused of securing FIPB clearance for certain FDI investment.
According to the CBI charge sheet submitted in a special court, Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis, had sought approval for an investment of $800 million in Aircel.
Though it was the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which was competent to grant the approval, it was cleared by the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy had alleged that Chidambaram then had tweaked FIPB norms for clearing the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006.
Seeking a probe into the role of P. Chidambaram, Swamy had referred to the Comptroller and Auditor General’s 2015 report that pointed to two alleged illegalities.
According to Swamy, the CAG cited the illegality of FIPB approving Maxis’ acquisition of 93.3 per cent stake in Aircel Tele Ventures Ltd through its wholly-owned subsidiary, the GCSHL, well in excess of the then ceiling of 74 per cent investment by a foreign entity.
The second illegality, Swamy said, was that since the foreign investment in Aircel was more than Rs 600 crore, it should have gone to the Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs for approval but was cleared by the FIPB.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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