New Delhi: Alleging that the CBI is leaking some parts of the charge-sheet related to Aircel-Maxis case to the media, former union minister P Chidambaram today moved a court in Delhi. According to him, the irregularity is being done to “sensationalize” the matter and to “make mockery of judicial process”.
As per the move, Special Judge OP Saini issued a notice to the central agency and asked it to give response by October 8.
The senior Congress leader alleged in the application, which was moved by advocates PK Dubey and Arshdeep Singh, that the CBI was not at all caring for a fair trial in the court of law and was trying to get a trial by the media.
“Since this court is yet to take cognizance of the charge sheet, it appears that the CBI has clandestinely provided a copy of the same to the newspaper which is publishing the same in installments only to sensationalize the issue and prejudice the accused named therein even before cognizance is taken by this court.
“In the view of the above, it is clear that the CBI is not interested in a fair trial in a court of law and only wants a trial by media, which is causing prejudice to the rights of the accused persons, including the appellant herein,” the application said.
It further added that “CBI is making a mockery of the judicial process resulting in complete travesty of justice.”
The former finance minister had in his earlier series of tweets alleged that central agency has leaked the charge sheet to the mainstream media even before providing any of those copies to the person who is named in it.
“CBI is not interested in a fair trial in a court of law. It wants a trial by the media. CBI is making a mockery of the judicial process,” he tweeted.
The charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation had the names of Mr. Chidambaram and his son in the case on July 19.
The issue being probed by the CBI is about how Mr. Chidambaram managed to grant a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to a foreign firm during his tenure as Union finance minister in 2006, when such approval can be granted only by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) which was empowered to do it.
Since then, the role of the senior Congress leader came under the scanner of investigating agencies in the whopping Rs. 3,500 crores Aircel-Maxis deal and also the INX Media case which involved Rs. 305 crores.
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