Karti Chidambaram arrested in INX Media case: A timeline

Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P. Chidambaram, was arrested by a special team of the CBI soon after he arrived at the Chennai Airport from London early on Wednesday.

Here's a timeline of events:

• On August 24, 2015: The Enforcement Directorate summoned two directors of a company owned Karti Chidambaram, the son of former finance minister, P Chidambaram. The directors of the company were summoned in connection with the Aircel Maxis scam.
• On December 1, 2015: The Enforcement Directorate officials on Tuesday conducted raids on firms allegedly linked to Karthi Chidambaram, the son of former union minister, P Chidambaram.
• On May 23, 2016: The Enforcement Directorate was probing against companies linked to Karti abroad and has already sought information on the financial transactions. The probe in question relates to firms namely West Bridge and Advantage Sequoia and allegations are that shares had been procured at throwaway prices. The ED had conducted a series of raids in this regard.
• On July 5, 2016: Karti Chidambaram was asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate with documents relating to the Aircel-Maxis scam. The ED had found that $2 lakh had been paid off to Chess Management Services Private Limited, a firm belonging to Karti.
• In June 2017: A 'Look Out Circular' (LOC) was issued by the Bureau of Immigration. The Madras High Court stayed the LOC against Karti Chidambaram stating that the issuance of the circular the day after issuing a summons to him was unwarranted. This was in response to a joint petition by Karti Chidambaram, C.B.N. Reddy, Ravi Visvanathan, Mohanan Rajesh and S. Bhaskararaman, who were all issued the circular. The petition stated that the Centre had been pursuing a politically motivated vendetta against the petitioner's family and the issuance of the LOC is the latest in a series of concerted actions by the Central government's agencies to damage the reputation of Karti Chidambaram and discredit his father, P Chidambaram.
• In August 2017: Karti Chidambaram appeared before the CBI in connection with a case involving FIPB approval of INX Media.
• On August 22, 2017: The Madras High Court has directed Karti Chidambaram to approach a court in Delhi to quash the FIR lodged against Karti in the INX Media case. Karti had moved the Madras HC against the FIR lodged against him in the case by the CBI. The Madras HC told him either to approach the Delhi HC or the Patiala House court in this regard.
• On August 24, 2017: The CBI grilled Karti Chidambaram for about eight hours and asked 100 questions on different aspects of the case in connection with an alleged irregularity in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to a media group, INX Media, for receiving funds from Mauritius when his father P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.
• On September 11, 2017: SC bars Karti Chidambaram from travelling abroad until further orders
• On November 9, 2017: The Supreme Court adjourned the INX media case involving former Union Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram till November 16.
• On November 16: SC asked CBI to file its reply on Karti's plea seeking to travel abroad by end of day
• On November 12, 2017: SC allowed Karti Chidambaram to visit the UK between Dec 1-10
• On Jan 12, 2018: Enforcement Directorate summoned former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram in INX media case.
• On Jan 29, 2018: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in connection with the INX Media money laundering case.
• On Jan 31, 2018: The Lookout Circular issued against Karti Chidambaram, son of former union minister, P Chidambaram will be decided by the Madras High Court. The Supreme Court on Wednesday sent back the matter to the Madras HC and asked it to decide on the matter.
• On Feb 2018: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in connection with the INX Media money laundering case, official sources said.
• On Feb 16, 2018: A close aide and a chartered account of Karti Chidambaram has been arrested in connection with the INX Media case. The ED which had raided the residence of Bhaskar Raman arrested him today for further questioning.
• On Feb 17, 2018: The Madras High Court allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of the former union minister, P Chidambaram to travel abroad. The order came despite strong objections raised by the Central Bureau of Investigation citing lookout circulars against him.
• On Feb 22, 2018: Karti Chidambaram moved Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a stay on Enforcement Directorate's summons against him in connection with INX media money laundering case.
• On Feb 28, 2018: Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation. He was arrested in connection with the INX Media case. The arrest was carried out when he stepped out of the British Airways flight this morning. The CBI has accused him of violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

The INX media bribery case involving Karti Chidambaram is linked to clearances given to it, which was once owned by Peter Mukerjea.

According to the CBI, INX Media stated in its records that an amount of Rs 10 lakh was given to Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited, a firm the CBI said was "indirectly" owned by Karti, for management consultancy charges towards an FIPB notification and clarification.

The CBI had also recovered vouchers of Rs 10 lakh which were allegedly paid for the services.

The CBI had filed an FIR against Karti and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.

It is alleged that Karti received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) conditions to receive investment from Mauritius.

Along with a CBI FIR on this case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a money laundering case against Karti Chidambaram.

The central probe agency has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), ED's equivalent of a police FIR, against the accused named in the CBI complaint including Karti, INX media and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, and others.

The ECIR has been registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),

The Chidambarams have denied all the charges made against them.

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