INX Media case: CBI custody for Karti Chidambaram; Congress calls his arrest ‘political vendetta’, BJP hits back

The CBI, in its remand application filed in court, claimed that sustained interrogation of Karti was needed to unearth the “total conspiracy” hatched in the case and also to find out the details of overseas payments allegedly received by him from INX Media as a “quid pro quo”. Also Read: INX Media: P Chidambaram’s fear of harassment of his family turns true

In its statement to the court, CBI said, “Thus, Karti Chidambaram needs to be subjected to sustained interrogation for unearthing the total conspiracy hatched in the case and also to find out the details of overseas payments received by him from INX Media as a quid pro quo for influence exercised by him over the public servants to scuttle the punitive action required to be taken against M/S INX Media (P) Ltd for the illegal acts of receiving excess investment than the approved FDI and also for making of downstream investment without the FIPB approval. For this purpose, his police custody remand for a period of 15 days is considered essential.”

Right at the beginning, the court allowed the request of Karti Chidambaram’s lawyers to have an interaction with the accused inside the court room for 10 minutes, following which the proceedings resumed. Also Read: Karti Chidambaram arrest is vendetta, diversionary tactic: Congress

At the time of hearing, CBI’s prosecutor V K Sharma told the court that Karti has not cooperated in the investigation and he has been repeatedly travelling abroad which “confirmed apprehensions” that “he will flee” from the country. Sharma alleged that one of the grounds for arresting Karti was that the CBI had recorded statement of Indrani Mukerjea, former Director of INX Media (P) Ltd, before a magistrate on February 17 in which she had said that Karti had “accepted one million dollars from INX Media” at the Hyatt Hotel here.

This was opposed vehemently by senior advocate A M Singhvi who appeared for Karti, saying it was a “bizzare” case and no grounds for arrest were made out. “It is a bizzare case at the threshhold. It is not a case of arrest, leave aside police custody or judicial custody,” Singhvi told the court while opposing the CBI’s remand plea. Also Read: INX Media case: Chronology of events

Earlier in the day, Karti was taken into custody by a team of CBI officials at the Chennai airport on his return from the United Kingdom. The CBI had lodged an FIR on May 15 last year alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (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 investigative agency alleged that Karti had received funds to the tune of Rs 10 lakh in the case. It had claimed that Karti had also received money from INX Media to scuttle a tax probe. The firm was owned at the time by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, who are currently in jail on charges of allegedly murdering Indrani’s daughter Sheena Bora.

Meanwhile, responding to Karti’s allegations of political vendetta, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said there’s no interference from the government and the law must take its course. Prasad said that the nature of evidence available against the offender must speak for itself and not the “alibi” of vendetta. Speaking to reporters, Prasad said, “The law is taking its course. The law must take its course. The CBI will explain all the details. We do not wish to interfere. There is no interference of the government,” he was quoted by PTI as saying. Also Read: Karti Chidambaram arrest: No interference from govt; law must take its course, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

The Congress today dubbed the arrest of Karti Chidambaram a “diversionary tactic” by the government to hide its scams and said “vendetta” would not deter the party from speaking the truth. The Maharashtra Congress slammed the Modi government after the arrest, alleging the action was aimed at intimidating and browbeating the opposition. Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan told PTI: “The arrest of the son of the senior Congress leader, who has been very vocal against the Narendra Modi government, is a ploy to intimidate and browbeat the opposition and also an attempt to divert the public attention from the huge banking scam.”

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam also termed Karti Chidambaram’s arrest a case of political vendetta by the BJP. In a statement to the media, Nirupam said, “Karti’s arrest is a case of political vendetta by the BJP. The truth will come out and these dirty tactics will be exposed.”

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala  said P Chidamabaram and his family has no connection with Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited. “Out of the blue arrest is made today, 11 years after the so-called incident and after due appearance before CBI and submission of all documents. FIR till today does not mention or name Karti Chidambaram as an accused. P Chidambaram has maintained that neither he nor any of his family member or relations have ever had or have its stake, shareholding or directorship of Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd or INX Media Pvt Ltd at any point of time,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)