CBI seeks Centre's nod to prosecute Chidambaram in INX Media case

The CBI on Monday said it has sought prosecution sanction against former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram in its ongoing investigation into the INX Media case for giving Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the group in 2007.

A Central Bureau of Investigation source confirmed to IANS that the prosecution sanction has been sought from the Centre.

The source said the agency will soon file a chargesheet against Chidambaram.

The CBI had on May 15, 2017 filed an FIR accusing P. Chidambaram, his son Karti Chidambaram and others of involvement in irregularities in giving INX Media the FIPB clearance to receive Rs 305 crore in foreign investment.

The CBI had on February 28 last year arrested Karti, accusing him of taking money to facilitate the FIPB clearance to INX Media in 2007 when his father was the Finance Minister. Later, he got bail.

The CBI initially alleged that Karti received Rs 10 lakh as bribe for facilitating the FIPB clearance, but the figure was subsequently revised to about $1 million or Rs 6.5 crore at the current exchange rate.

The ED has also lodged a money laundering case on the basis of the CBI FIR and has questioned him twice in the last one-and-a-half months.

The ED probe so far showed that for the FIPB approval, INX Media directors Peter and Indrani Mukerjea met P. Chidambaram, so that there was no hold-up or delay in their application.

The ED has attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti Chidambaram and a firm in the case. It has also attached properties belonging to the Mukerjeas in connection with the same case.

--IANS

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