ED Pushes for Swift Trial in High-Profile Chidambaram Money Laundering Cases

The Enforcement Directorate pushes for a speedy trial against Congress leader P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis and INX Media money laundering cases, after securing necessary prosecution sanction. The agency aims to counter delays resulting from a Supreme Court ruling on the need for prosecution sanctions in PMLA cases.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has called for a fast-tracked trial against Congress leader P Chidambaram in connection with two high-profile money laundering cases: the Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case. The move comes after the ED secured the required prosecution sanction against the former Union finance minister from the designated court.

The federal probe agency had initially filed chargesheets in the Aircel-Maxis case in 2018 and the INX Media case in 2020 at the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi. However, a Supreme Court ruling in 2024 mandated that a prosecution sanction is essential in PMLA cases, causing delays as defendants, including Chidambaram, challenged proceedings in various legal forums.

To address these delays, the ED obtained the necessary prosecution sanction from the competent authority in February and has submitted it to the Rouse Avenue Special Court to expedite the trial. The agency claims that P Chidambaram and his son Karti received illicit gratification in exchange for approving FIPB approvals during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.

(With inputs from agencies.)