The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought the custody of former union minister P Chidambaram in the INX media, according to reports. The CBI told the Delhi High Court today that it needs custodial interrogation of the Congress leader in its probe into the case, and opposed the anticipatory bail plea filed by Chidambaram.
#BREAKING | CBI seeks custody of P.Chidambaram in INX Media case, opposes anticipatory bail plea of the former Finance Ministerhttps://t.co/LGCyJUWcLF
— Republic (@republic) January 25, 2019
CBI made this request during the hearing of anticipatory bail plea by P Chidambaram in the Delhi High Court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the High Court that custodial interrogation of P Chidambaram is necessary as he was not cooperating in the probe and had given false information during his questioning by the agency.
The High Court reserved its order on the anticipatory bail plea.
Both CBI and ED are investigating P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media scam. Karti was arrested by CBI in February last in connection with the case, who was released on bail later.
It is alleged that INX Media received FDI in excess of what was allowed and when a probe was launched against the illegal investment, it was manipulated to save the company. P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister in the UPA government at that time. The chargesheet filed by CBI in the case said that while the company was granted clearance to receive foreign investment of only ₹4.62 crore, the company violated the norms and raised ₹305 crores as FDI. On the other hand, INX Media had made payments to Advantage Strategic Consultancy Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Karti Chidambaram through his close associates.
It is alleged that Karti had received ₹3.5 crore from INX Media and used his influence to manipulate the investigation against the company.
INX Media was later known as NewsX, it was owned by Peter and Indrani Mukherjea of the sensational Sheena Bora murder case. Indrani had also alleged that P Chidambaram had asked her to pay a bribe of $1 million to Karti Chidambaram.
CBI had sought custodial interrogation of P Chidambaram in the case earlier also, but it was not granted. The agency has got the government’s permission to prosecute the former union minister in the Aircel-Maxis case also.
