Karti Chidambaram appears before CBI in graft case

New Delhi, August 23

Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, on Wednesday appeared for questioning before the CBI in a matter related to alleged irregularities in FIPB clearance to INX Media in 2007.

He arrived at the Central Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Lodhi Road here a little after 10 am.

On August 18, the Supreme Court had directed the former Finance Minister's son to appear before the investigating agency.

The agency wanted to examine Chidambaram junior in a case related to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the INX Media for allegedly receiving funds from Mauritius when his father was in office.

On May 15, the CBI had registered an FIR against Chidambaram junior on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, accepting gratification by corrupt or illegal means, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.

Karti is said to have received Rs 3.5 crore from the Mumbai-based INX media, now 9X Media, for helping it in getting the FIPB clearance when it was run by Peter and Indrani Mukherjea, both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

The FIR does not mention the name of Chidambaram senior, though it said he cleared the FIPB approval for Rs 4.62 crore Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the FIPB meeting on May 18, 2007.

Earlier, the CBI had issued three notices to Chidambaram junior, but he did not depose before the probe agency.

—IANS