Chidambaram summoned to join INX media probe on Thursday

The CBI on Wednesday summoned former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media corruption case asking him to join the investigation on Thursday, the probe agency said.

Sources in the the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Chidambaram had been asked to appear before the investigators at the agency's headquarters at south Delhi's Lodhi Road area.

The CBI's move comes as Chidambaram on Wednesday filed an anticipatory bail plea in the Delhi High Court for protection from arrest in the INX Media case, hours after a Delhi court extended to him interim protection from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

The CBI had on February 28 arrested Chidambaram's son Karti in the INX Media case. Later, he was granted bail.

Karti is accused of taking money to facilitate Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media in 2007 when his father was the Finance Minister in the UPA government. The CBI registered an FIR in the case on May 15 last year.

The CBI has alleged that irregularities were committed in giving INX Media the clearance to receive Rs 305 crore in foreign investment. The CBI initially alleged that Karti had received Rs 10 lakh as bribe for facilitating the FIPB clearance.

The figure was, however, revised later to about Rs $1 million or 6.5 crore at the current exchange rate.

The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are probing the case.

--IANS

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