The Delhi high court on Wednesday stayed the trial court proceedings against former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.

The Delhi high court also issued notice to the ED and sought its response on P Chidambaram’s petition challenging the trial court’s order taking cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the probe agency against him and his son Karti Chidambaram in the money laundering case.

“Notice issued. Till the next date of hearing, the proceedings against the petitioner shall remain stayed. List on January 22,” Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri said, adding that he will pass a detailed order later, news agency PTI reported.

Senior advocate N Hariharan and lawyers Arshdeep Singh Khurana and Akshat Gupta, representing P Chidambaram, contended that the special judge took cognisance of the chargesheet for the alleged offence of money laundering in the absence of any sanction for prosecution of the former Union minister who was a public servant when the offence was allegedly committed.