New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent notice to former finance minister P Chidambaram in Aviation scam case.
The case pertains to purchase of 111 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus at Rs 70,000 crore, ceding of profitable routes and schedules to private airlines and opening of training institutes with foreign investment.
Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, was last week summoned by CBI over this case. He allegedly favoured foreign private airlines over national carrier Air India and was in constant touch with aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar.
It is being alleged that Talwar was negotiating with Patel during to bring favour to foreign airlines and keep out Air India.
Patel, was the Civil Aviation Minister between 2004 and 2011. The ED in its chargesheet against Talwar has also mentioned Patel's name.
Talwar, was extradited to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January this year and is currently in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, P Chidambaram and his son Karti are also being probed by the investigative agencies in Aircel-Maxis cases.
Chidambaram, then Union finance minister, allegedly gave Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB)approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI in March 2006 even though he was empowered to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore. Beyond the said limi it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
