The 2G Court pulled up CBI on Monday for delays in obtaining Sanction for Prosecution of four IAS officers in the Aircel-Maxis scam, who are co-accused with former Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the chargesheet. Special Judge OP Saini asked CBI, why they submitted Chargesheet without obtaining the Sanction and directed CBI to provide it by next hearing November 26. He also cautioned CBI that if failed to provide the Sanction, the Court may take appropriate action.
In the July 19, submitted chargesheet, the CBI has charged former Finance Secretaries Ashok Jha and Ashok Chawla in the illegal approval given to Malaysian firm Maxis to acquire the mobile phone operator Aircel. Both these officers are now retired and Ashok Chawla is now servings as NSE Chairman. Apart from these two officers, two serving IAS officers Kumar Sanjay Krishnan and Deepak Kumar Singh were also charged as accused by CBI.
“You (CBI) should not have filed the charge sheet. It is only increasing the pendency of the court. A lot of time of the court has been wasted due to this,” Special Judge O P Saini said.
“Granting of sanction is under active consideration of the government,” said senior prosecutor Sonia Mathur said. The Sanction for Prosecution has to be recommended by the Finance Ministry and approved by DoPT.