Aircel Maxis ED case: Delhi Court issues fresh summons against three Malaysian firms

New Delhi [India], October 22 : A Special Court of Rouse Avenue Court has issued fresh summons against three Malaysian firms accused in the Aircel Maxis money laundering case.
The Special Judge MK Nagpal in an order passed on October 20, 2022, allowed Enforcement Directorate (ED) application sought the issuance of fresh summons against three accused namely M/s Astro All Asia Networks Pic, M/s Maxis Mobile Sdn Bhd. and Augustus Ralph Marshall.
Hence, in view of the submissions made, the ED application is allowed and fresh summons of the three accused at their given addresses of Malaysia are now directed to be issued for 27.02.2023 and the same may be collected dasti by the Investigation officer to be served through the Ministry of Home Affairs as it has been stated that atleast three months time is required for service of the summons through the diplomatic channels, said the court.
ED, before the court submitted that summons of the three accused, along with summons of some other accused, were earlier issued by this court on December 21, 2021, and December 24, 2021, for April 18, 2022, and summons of M/s Astro All Asia Networks Pic. and M/s Maxis Mobile Sdn Bhd. were issued through the Malaysian Authorities and summons of Augustus Ralph Marshall were issued through the Malaysian as well as Mauritius Authorities, as per their given addresses on record.
ED stated that though the summons of Augustus Ralph Marshall was subsequently returned back by the Mauritius Authorities with a report that he had left Mauritius for Australia on December 15, 2021, but the summons of this accused as well as of the other two accused have not been returned back by the Malaysian Authorities till today and since the date given for effecting their service has expired long back, Malaysian Authorities have now asked for issuance of fresh summons against. All these accused persons by this court.
The same Court in March this year, had granted regular bail to former union minister P Chidambaram, his son Karti Chidambaram and others in the Aircel Maxis case of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Earlier Former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti were granted anticipatory bail in the CBI and Enforcement Directorate case of Aircel Maxis.
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram, his son Karthi Chidambaram and 15 other people including 6 firms were named as accused in the Aircel-Maxis case by the probe agencies.
CBI and ED had earlier informed the court that agencies have sent LRs to different countries and there are some developments in that regard. Both agencies have filed the status report too in court.
Earlier, the court had directed the agencies to file a status report in the Aircel Maxis case involving P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram which was adjourned sine die.
The court, while asking for reports from the agencies, said that the allegations mentioned in the chargesheet appeared to be "quite serious in nature."
The case, which is being probed by the CBI and ED, relates to alleged irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal. The FIPB approval was allegedly granted in 2006 when Chidambaram was the union finance minister. The CBI and the ED had alleged that Chidambaram, as finance minister, had granted approval to the deal beyond his capacity to benefit certain persons and received kickbacks.