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A trial court sent Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, to judicial custody till March 24 in the INX Media corruption case. The CBI produced Karti in the court after his three-day police custody in the INX Media corruption case expired and sought 15 days judicial custody. The court dismissed Karti's plea for early hearing of his bail application.
Special judge Sunil Rana pronounced the order after the CBI said that he was not required for custodial interrogation. On his plea seeking separate cell and protection in Tihar Jail, the court said the jail manual would be followed. It also said that his bail plea would be heard on March 15 as scheduled. The court denied Karti’s request for home food in the jail.
Karti Chidambaram’s father P Chidambaram was also present in the courtroom.
Meanwhile, Karti’s CA S Bhaskararaman, who is currently in jail in a case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has moved the court for anticipatory bail in the CBI case of INX Media.
The CBI did not seek any further custodial interrogation of Karti, who has already spent 12 days in its custody since his arrest on February 28 from Chennai airport. He was remanded in CBI custody for three days after the investigative agency claimed it had recovered some incriminating documents and CD from the Chennai office of Advantage Strategic Pvt Ltd., a company linked to him. He has been in CBI custody for questioning since his arrest from Chennai Airport on February 28.
He was arrested on his return from the United Kingdom in connection with the FIR lodged on May 15 last year. It alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds of about Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father was Union finance minister.
The CBI had initially alleged that Karti Chidambaram received Rs 10 lakh as bribe for the FIPB clearance. It, however, later revised the figure to USD 1 million (about Rs 6.50 crore at the current exchange rate and Rs 4.50 crore in 2007).
The fresh evidence in the case, which triggered Karti Chidambaram’s arrest, was based on the statement of Indrani Mukerjea, former director of INX Media (P) Ltd, who recorded it under section 164 of CrPC before a magistrate on February 17.
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