Congress leader P Chidambaram pondered by the Enforcement Directorate in INX media case

 

 

New Delhi, December 19: Indian Politicain P Chidambaram was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate at the enquiry agency's office in the national capital today. He was called in connection with the INX Media case. The central probe agency had earlier questioned Karti Chidambaram in this case and has also attached his assets worth an estimated Rs 54 crore, located in India and abroad.

 

According to official sources, senior Congress leader was asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. He arrived around 11:30 am along with his lawyer.

 

The ED had registered a Prevention of Money Laundering Act case in this deal case on the basis of a CBI FIR and had alleged that irregularities took place in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when P Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.

 

The role of Chidambaram, 73, had come under the scanner of various investigating agencies in the Rs. 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs. 305 crore. He was the one as a Finance Minister to clear the approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for the two ventures.

 

 

The CBI initially alleged that Karti received Rs 10 lakh as bribe for facilitating the FIPB clearance to INX Media. It later revised the figure to $1 million. The other accused in the case include then INX Media Director Indrani Mukerjea and then INX News Director Peter Mukerjea.

 

It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED's equivalent of a police FIR, against the accused named in a CBI complaint, including Karti, INX Media and its directors Peter and Indrani Mukerjea. Karti Chidambaram was also arrested on February 28 by the CBI for allegedly taking money to facilitate the FIPB clearance to INX Media in 2007 . He was later granted bail.