CBI again questions Karti Chidambaram in INX media case

The CBI on Monday again questioned Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, on alleged irregularities in FIPB clearance to INX Media for FDI in 2007.

Karti Chidambaram, who arrived at the Central Bureau of Investigation headquarters on the Lodhi Road here a little after 10 a.m., was questioned for over eight hours. On August 23 also, Chidamabaram was questioned by CBI officials for over eight hours.

Beside Chidamabaram, the agency on Monday also questioned Ravi Vishwanathan, Bhaskar Raman, and Mohanan Rajesh.

According to agency's sources, all four were questioned separately.

The sources said Karti, who was accompanied by his lawyers, faced over 100 questions prepared by the central agency.

The CBI officials questioned Karti Chidamabaram about the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to media group INX Media when his father was the Union Finance Minister and allegedly receiving funds from Mauritius.

The sources said a firm "indirectly controlled" by him received money from INX Media, then run by Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukherjea, currently in jail in a murder case.

On August 18, the Supreme Court had directed Karti Chidambaram to appear before the CBI in the case.

The CBI was asked to question Ravi Vishwanathan, Mohnan Rajesh, Bhaskar Raman, and C.V.N. Reddy on August 28. Reddy was to be questioned at CBI's Chennai office and the other three in Delhi, the sources said.

On May 15, the CBI had registered an FIR against Karti Chidambaram on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, accepting gratification by corrupt or illegal means, influencing public servants, and criminal misconduct.

Karti Chidambaram allegedly received Rs 3.5 crore from Mumbai-based INX media, now 9X Media, for helping it get FIPB clearance, when it was run by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

The FIR does not mention Chidambaram senior, though it said he cleared the FIPB approval for Rs 4.62 crore Foreign Direct Investment in the firm at an FIPB meeting on May 18, 2007.

Earlier, the CBI had issued three notices to Karti Chidambaram, but he did not present himself for questioning.

--IANS

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