INX Media case: Karti Chidambaram sent to jail till March 24

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday sent Karti Chidambaram to judicial custody till March 24 in the INX Media corruption case, while dismissing his 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.

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. Karti, the son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, was produced before special judge on expiry of his three-day police custody. Karti has already spent 12 days in police custody since his arrest on February 28 from Chennai airport. Karti Chidambaram’s father P Chidambaram was also present in the courtroom.

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 facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media. It, however, later revised the figure to 64.97₹ 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 the CrPC before a magistrate on February 17.