Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, was arrested by the CBI this morning at the Chennai International Airport immediately on his arrival from London. He was arrested in connection with his alleged involvement in the INX Media case relating to irregularities in foreign direct investments of over ₹305 crore.

When news of Karti’s arrest broke, Congress party cadres assembled at his residence this morning. R Thiagarajan, a supporter and former Deputy Mayor of Chennai, told media persons that Karti was being taken to Delhi by a 10:40 AM flight. He had been detained in the airport as soon as he had landed from London.

'Political vendetta'

Thiagarajan attributed the arrest to 'political vendetta'. Opponents were using Karti to get at his father, former Union Minister and Congress leader, who had consistently highlighted to the public the shortcomings in the economic policies of the government at the Centre."Whether it was demonetisation or GST, Chidambaram had been at the forefront in criticising the 'people unfriendly' policies. Also, the authorities were trying to divert public attention from the multi-thousand crore rupees scam at the Punjab National Bank," Thiagarajan alleged. The Congress Party had also issued a statement condemning the arrest, he pointed out.

Karti's father and former Union Minister Chidambaram has consistently denied the allegations of the CBI as baseless and motivated. The former Union Minister has said on various occasions that the government was using his son as a tool to silence him as he was a vociferous critic of its flawed economic policies.

Also read:Karti arrest is vendetta, diversionary tactic: Congress

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot in a tweet said, "Karti Chidambaram was arrested when he landed at Chennai airport, he was not trying to escape from India like Nirav Modi then arresting him on his arrival at airport is funny. Karti Chidambaram was cooperating the CBI, the CBI could have summoned him."

Chargesheet

An FIR filed by the CBI on May 15 last year had alleged irregularities in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father P Chidambaram was the Union finance minister. It is alleged that Karti had received funds to the tune of Rs 10 lakh in the case.

The CBI had registered a case against Mr Karti, M/s INX Media (P) Ltd., represented by its then directors Indrani Mukherjea and Pritam Mukherjea alias Peter Mukherjea, Chess Management Services (represented through its director Mr. Karti Chidambaram), Advantage Strategic Consultancy (P) Ltd., represented through its director Padma Vishwanathan and others, besides unknown officials in the Ministry of Finance on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption. 

The CBI had accused Karti of having received commissions through companies such as Chess Management and ASC to scuttle a probe by the Department of Revenue into the allegations of financial irregularities. The ED has also registered a money laundering case. The CBI is also probing the alleged irregularities in grant of the FIPB clearance to the Aircel–Maxis deal in 2006.

On February 16, Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskaraman was arrested from a five star hotel in Delhi. The CBI had alleged that Karti received money from INX Media to use his influence to manipulate a tax probe against the company in violation of FIPB conditions to receive investment by the company from Mauritius.

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