ED raids Karti in Aircel-Maxis case

New Delhi, January 13

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today conducted searches at 10 premises linked to Karti Chidambaram, including the residence of his father and Congress leader P Chidambaram in Delhi, in connection with its money laundering probe in the Aircel-Maxis case.

The raids were initiated early morning in nine premises in Chennai and at the Jorbagh residence of Chidambaram Senior in south Delhi, official sources said.

Those searched include a CA linked to Karti, his personal assistant and Karti’s residence at Thousand Lights area in Chennai, they said. Sources said certain “incriminating” documents had been seized during the raids.

P Chidambaram termed the raids against his son “a comedy of errors” and claimed the officers were left “embarrassed” and “apologetic” as they could not find anything at his house. 

The central probe agency had, on December 1 last year, also searched the premises of a relative of Karti and others in this case.

“Since they had the search warrant, I did not raise any objections to the search but I said I will record my protest that there is no FIR in respect of the scheduled crime registered by any investigating agency, including the CBI. “There are obviously no proceeds of crime and the ED has no jurisdiction under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act,” P Chidambaram said.

However, ED sources said their action was based on the FIR registered by the agency and the CBI in the case that had not been quashed by the court. The ED case pertains to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval granted in 2006 by the then FM P Chidambaram.

The agency had said it is investigating the circumstances of the said FIPB approval granted by the then FM (P Chidambaram)”. 

Karti is also being probed by the ED in another money-laundering case pertaining to the INX media deal. He has been asked to appear on January 16 in this case. — PTI