INX Media case: CBI gets court nod to meet Indrani Mukerjea in jail

New Delhi, Sep 10: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) permitted to interrogate Indrani Mukerjea in connection with the INX Media case. She will be questioned at the Byculla prison, Mumbai.

The CBI requested the court to allow its deputy superintendent to meet Indrani at the Byculla prison, where she is lodged in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case. Both former union minister, P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram are accused in the INX Media case.

The CBI told the court that it had sent letters rogatory to several countries seeking assistance with regard to certain financial transactions. Since one nation had sought some clarification, the CBI said it wanted to question Indrani. Following the submissions in court, CBI officers met with Indrani at the Byculla jail.

The CBI had filed an FIR against Karti, Indrani and Peter Mukerjea and charged them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and receiving illegal gratification.

What is the INX Media case?

• INX entered into a criminal conspiracy with Karti Chidambaram to amicably settle a case of violation of foreign investment norms by the company in 2007.
• The media firm had brought in Rs 305 crore through foreign investment even as the FIPB had approved foreign inflow of only Rs 4.62 crore.
• Karti was engaged by the firm "by virtue of his relationship with the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the CBI alleged.
• Karti Chidambaram exercised influence over certain FIPB officials and the department instead of investigating the case, extended undue favours to the media firm by asking it to apply for fresh FIPB approval on the downstream investment of Rs 305 crore in violation of norms. INX Media was granted FIPB permission for the investment which had already come into the firm.
• Karti Chidambaram received Rs 10 lakh from INX Media for "management consultancy charges" through Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Ltd, a firm which was indirectly controlled by Chidambaram. CBI says that this was done to conceal the identity of Chidambaram.
• CBI alleges that invoices of at least Rs 3.5 crore were raised in favour of INX Group in the name of companies where Chidambaram has direct and indirect interests.