Chidambaram to Lalu: High-profile politicians who faced probe for 'graft'

1. Chidambaram to Lalu: High- profile politicians who faced probe for 'graft' Chidambaram will today appear before CBI for questioning in connection with alleged irregularities in giving INX Media the clearance to receive foreign investment.

2. Former finance minister P Chidambaram was on Tuesday questioned by the Enforcement Directorate, which probes financial crimes, in what is widely known as the Aircel-Maxis case. On Wednesday, Chidambaram will appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in connection with alleged irregularities in giving INX Media the clearance to receive foreign investment. Here is a list of high-profile politicians, including former Union ministers, who have faced probe for alleged corruption in recent times: P Chidambaram On Tuesday, the senior Congress leader for the first time deposed for questioning before the ED, which issued a summons to him. The agency recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the Rs 35-billion Aircel-Maxis deal, news agency PTI reported. The ED has already questioned his son, Karti. A court has asked the ED not to take any coercive action against the senior Chidambaram or arrest him until July 10. The Congress leader says the ED action is a "crazy mixture of falsehoods and conjectures". The case pertains to the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to M/S Global Communication Holding Services Ltd in 2006 for investment in Aircel. The agency says Chidambaram facilitated FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case in March 2006, even as he was authorised to approve project proposals for up to Rs 6 billion only. For any investment beyond that, the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) needed to be sought.