INX media case: Indrani likely to be called to appear in-person on her plea to become witness

New Delhi, Feb 14: Former INX Media director Indrani Mukerjea may be called to appear in-person in Delhi court on hearing on her plea to become a witness in the money-laundering case involving the company. She may also be connected to Delhi's Patiala Court via video conferencing from Mumbai's Byculla jail for approval. The next date of hearing in the case is February 28.

Indrani had filed an application from jail in November, 2018. Indrani was taken to the Delhi court last year where she gave her confessional statement and later sent a letter proposing to become an approver in the case.

Former INX Media director Indrani Mukerjea had filed an application to become a witness

Earlier, the son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram, had denied ever meeting Indrani Mukherjea in connection with the INX Media deal.

In February, 2018, Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI at Chennai airport in connection with the same case.

An FIR filed by the CBI on May 15, 2017 alleged irregularities in the clearance given by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to INX Media to receive funds from overseas. This amount was about Rs 305 crore in 2007 when P Chidambaram was the finance minister in the UPA government.

INX Media was once owned by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, the prime suspects in the money laundering case. Karti is connected to the INX Media bribery case regarding various clearances given to the company.

According to investigative agencies, INX Media showed a transaction of Rs 10 lakh named against Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd, a firm which is allegedly indirectly owned by Karti, as management consultancy charges towards an FIPB notification and clarification.

It has been alleged that Karti Chidambaram took money from INX Media and used his influence and power to manipulate a tax probe against the company regarding a case of violation of FIPB conditions to get investments from Mauritius.

Indrani Mukerjea, a former media baron who is facing charges of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, wants to turn approver in the INX media case and has moved an application before a Delhi court.

Interestingly, Indrani had given a statement under Section 164 of CrPC claiming Karti had demanded Rs 10 lakh from her and her husband Peter Mukerjea to grant undue favours in INX Media.

With Karti's denial, the agency will now have to come up with evidence to back their allegations.