Aircel-Maxis case:ED presses for custodial interrogation of Karti Chidambaram

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday pressed for the custodial interrogation of Karti Chidambaram, son of Congress leader P Chidambaram, in Aircel-Maxis case, telling a Delhi court that he showed “irritation” and “anger” during the probe warranting cancellation of protection from arrest.Special CBI judge O P Saini asked Karti to file his response by September 18 on the plea of the ED which alleged that the son of senior Congress leader has violated the condition imposed by the court while granting relief.The ED told the court that the interim protection was granted on March 24, 2018 on the condition that Karti will appear before the investigating officer as and when directed and join the probe, but he has been avoiding summons to appear before it after the filing of the charge sheet.Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Sonia Mathur, appearing for the agency, alleged that Karti was not cooperating with the investigation, which was one of the conditions imposed on him.The agency told the court that the probe regarding FDI approval was continuing.”The accused willfully and deliberately avoided the summons issued to him since June 2016″, with the “sole aim” of derailing the proceedings, the agency claimed.”Whenever he was confronted with the documents, he showed his irritation, sometimes anger and then conveniently avoided to answer the question on one pretext or the other,” it alleged.”Though the accused did appear at times when called for investigation but used to leave mid-way while intimating that he would not be able appear for about a week. The said modus was essentially to consult lawyers and tailor-made answered to questions asked on earlier date of examination, thus not revealing complete facts and also delaying the investigation.”It is pertinent to mention that such tailor-made answers provided as a result of the legal assistance has mandated the need for a custodial interrogation of the accused for an affective investigation which would not be possible sans the custody of the accused,” the agency said in its plea, moved through advocates N K Matta and Nitesh Rana.During a brief hearing, the court asked advocate Arshdeep Singh, appearing for Karti, why his client was not joining the probe.The counsel said Karti had joined the probe on various occasions before the charge sheet was filed by the agency against him.