Karti Chidambaram allegedly received kickbacks in the Rs 305 crore INX Media case
Highlights
- Karti Chidambaram questioned in connection with INX Media case
- His father, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, is in Tihar Jail
- P Chidambaram's bail plea rejected by Delhi High Court last month
Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who is in Delhi's Tihar Jail in connection with the Rs 305 crore INX Media case, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate this morning for questioning in the matter. In a video shared by news agency ANI, Karti Chidambaram, 47, can be seen walking in to Enforcement Directorate offices in Delhi with a lawyer by his side.
"No, I just thought to come and say hello to them for Dussehra," the younger Chidambaram quipped when reporters asked him about the purpose of his visit.
Last month the Enforcement Directorate had also questioned six people who worked under the former Finance Minister between 2004 and 2009. The agency informed the court it was conducting background investigations in connection with the case before arresting Mr Chidambaram.
Veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in August and sent to jail on September 5, is accused of signing off on a huge infusion of foreign funds into INX Media, a company set up by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, in 2007. Karti Chidambaram allegedly received kickbacks for playing his part in the deal.
While the CBI is investigating corruption allegations in the case, the Enforcement Directorate is probing money laundering claims against the Congress leader.
Indrani Mukerjea has turned approver in the case against the Chidambarams and the investigative agencies have based their case on her testimony.
Last week the Supreme Court issued a notice to the CBI asking it to respond to Mr Chidambaram's bail plea. A bench of justices R Banumathi and Hrishikesh Roy asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, to file a response and posted the matter for hearing on October 15.
The plea had been rejected by the Delhi High Court on September 30. The court said the former minister might influence witnesses if released.
Last month, the CBI was also given permission to prosecute four former senior officers of the Finance Ministry, along with Mr Chidambaram. According to the investigative agency, the four, who worked under the Congress leader, will be named in a chargesheet to be issued this month; they will be listed as accused in the INX Media case.
The decision prompted 71 retired bureaucrats to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and express concern over "selective targeting" of retired and serving officers, apparently for "gaining narrow political advantages".