New Delhi: Filing status reports of investigation in the Aircel-Maxis cases involving former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti before a Delhi court on Friday, the ED said active investigation into the matter was going on, while the CBI stated that letter rogatory (LR) has been sent to Malaysia and the response is awaited.
LR is issued by courts, on the request of an investigation agency, when it wants information from another country.
The court had on January 28 "revived" the Aircel-Maxis cases filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate against Chidambaram and his son that were earlier adjourned 'sine die'.
District Judge Sujata Kohli put up the matter for further hearing on February 20.
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the probe agencies, submitted the status report of the ED's investigation in a sealed cover.
"As far as the ED probe is concerned, active investigation is going on in the case. As far as the CBI's investigation was concerned, charge sheet has been filed," Jain said.
The CBI status report states that LR has been sent to Malaysia and there has been development, the counsel said, adding that the agency was also probing a new lead.
The case was adjourned 'sine die' -- without fixing any date for hearing -- on September 5 last year with the court noting that the two probe agencies were seeking "adjournment after adjournment".
The court had also granted anticipatory bail to the father-son duo. It has been challenged in the Delhi High Court, which will hear the matter on March 4.
The trail court took up the matter on its own on January 28 and sought the status report from the CBI and the ED. They however sought more time and the court granted them two weeks.
It had on September 5 last year granted anticipatory bail to Chidambaram and Karti in the corruption case filed by the CBI as well as in the money laundering case lodged by the ED in relation to the Aircel-Maxis deal.
The probe agencies were investigating how Karti Chidambaram received clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father was the Union finance minister.
The CBI and the ED had alleged that P Chidambaram, as finance minister during the United Progressive Alliance rule, granted approval to the deal beyond his capacity benefitting certain persons, and received kickbacks.
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