Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Friday blamed the Enforcement Directorate for spreading “canard to discredit him” and harass his son Karti. He was responding to the media reports that Karti was not cooperating with the ED in the Aircel-Maxis scam probe and failed to appear before the agency despite being summoned thrice. Chidambaram in a statement even claimed that his son was ready to cooperate with ED and the agencies summons were vague in nature.
“A canard is being spread that my son Karti has refused to appear before ED. That is not true. The canard is intended to discredit me and harass the members of my family,” said Chidambaram claiming the ED was not responding to his son’s letters seeking clarifications.
“I repeat that he (Karti) will answer all questions provided he is told the offence that is being investigated,” he added. Chidambaram also said ED did not inform Karti about the offence being investigated.
ED officials rubbished Chidambaram’s claims saying the five-page summons notice details the entire irregularity of Karti’s companies and money trail with Maxis and Aircel. In July, ED asked Karti to submit all his accounts of his companies. It also asked him to provide the financial statements of receipt of two lakh dollars from Maxis, soon after his father as Finance Minister cleared the FPIB approval to Maxis to take over Aircel. Maxis payments were routed to Karti’s company Chess Management Services limited.
The agency has already unearthed Karti’s huge investments and real estate in 14 countries. It is widely reported that ED may arrest Karti, as he had failed to appear before it after the third notice, which asked him to present himself on August 31. The CBI and the ED have already mentioned in the chargesheet that the FIPB approval given by Chidambaram was totally illegal.