Indrani Mukerjea claims on camera that businessman demand $1 mn from her
Former media executive Indrani Mukerjea has reportedly claimed that Karti Chidambaram demanded $1 million from her, and that she paid him a part of this sum, at a hotel in New Delhi last year. After Firstpost reported on this allegation on 28 February, a confessional video, accessed by Times Now, depicts Indrani making the same allegation, adding that she "doesn't care" about her credibility being questioned by Karti, or his father, former finance minister P Chidambaram, because she recorded her testimony before a magistrate under section 164 of the CrPC. Mukerjea, according to the on-camera revelation released by Times Now, also claimed that she met P Chidambaram in his North Block office.
How can you trust Indrani Mukherjea, asks Tamil Nadu Congress
Around 200 Congress leaders held protests in Chennai on Thursday, raising slogans against the BJP over Karti Chidambaram's arrest, reported News18. Questioning teh truth behind Indrani Mukherjea's statement implicating Karti and his father P Chidambaram, Congress leader Peter Alphonse said: "How can you trust the statement of Indrani Mukerjea? Her mental status is questionable. She has been in jail for two years. Her statement is questionable in court of law. This is a case of political vendetta.”
Claiming vendetta isn't enough; it's time to substantiate charges with evidence
If one gets into details of the charges against Karti Chidambaram, his arrest will hardly come as a surprise. Instead, it would only look delayed, argues Raghav Pandey in this Firstpost article.
Even principally, such heinous allegations can't be brushed aside by just terming them "political vendetta". If at all the Congress party thinks that such actions are a result of a witch-hunt, it is incumbent upon them to come out with a factual rebuttal of the charges. These allegations have been floating in the media for over a year now, and all the Chidambaram father-son duo has done is deny them, instead of actually disproving them.
It is to be understood that a mere denial holds no value in the eyes of law, or for people at large; it should be substantiated with evidence.
Patiala House court to also hear Chartered Accountant S Bhaskararaman's bail plea
According to Business Standard, the Patiala Court will also be hearing the bail plea of S Bhaskararaman, Karti's CA, regarding the same case. He had filed the plea before the court on Wednesday. The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Bhaskararaman from a hotel on 16 February, after which he was sent to judicial custody for 14 days on 26 February, the report added.
Patiala House complex turned into fortress following Karti Chidambaram's arrest
On Wednesday morning, police in Delhi swung into action following Karti's arrest in Chennai. The Patiala House court complex turned into a fortress, reported India Today. Barricades were put up. Karti's mother Nalini Chidambaram was also present when her son was brought in. Both were seen in conversation after the arguments concluded.
What Peter and Indrani Mukherjea told ED about Karti Chidambaram
"In their statement before ED, Peter alias Pratim Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea admitted that they had met P Chidambaram in his office in North Block, where Chidambaram told them to help the business of his son Karti, and to make foreign remittances for this purpose. They further admitted to having met Karti Chidambaram in Hotel Hyatt in Delhi, where a demand for illegal gratification of $1 million was made. It was further admitted that Karti Chidambaram suggested the names of Chess Management and Advantage Strategic as alternatives to make payments," the ED documents accessed by Firstpost said.
The note further pointed out that this fact was also stated by Indrani in a statement recorded by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before a magistrate under section 164 CrPC where she confirmed payment of $700,000 abroad.
Following arrest Karti Chidambaram wanted to fly first class to New Delhi: Report
According to India Today, Karti Chidambaram demanded he be flown first class to New Delhi after his arrest at Chennai airport on Wednesday morning. However, the CBI was firm that rules only allowed travel by economy class.
"Karti then tried to persuade Jet Airways to let him use his frequent flyer mileage to get an upgrade. The CBI resisted and managed to get him to fly economy," a senior agency official told India Today TV.
P Chidambaram cancels Oxford event
Following son Karti's arrest, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, who was in England at the time, has cancelled his engagements and returned to New Delhi, reported Business Standard. Among his engagements was the Oxford Union debate on the motion “This House Regrets the Partition of India” on Thursday evening.
Karti's arrest comes days after P Chidambaram filed plea in Supreme Court
Karti Chidambaram's arrest comes after his father and former finance minister P Chidambaram filed a petition in the Supreme Court alleging “continued harassment” of him and his family, reported The Hindu.
Indrani Mukherjea claims they paid $7 lakh for FIPB clearance
Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on Wednesday on the basis of confessional statements of INX Media Limited directors Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, alleging that they paid $7 lakh to him on the instructions of his father P Chidamabaram, as quid pro quo for a FIPB clearance, officials said.
The couple had also admitted that they subsequently met Karti at a five-star hotel in Delhi, where he allegedly made a demand of $1 million, they said, adding that this was reiterated by Indrani before the magistrate as well.
Indrani, they said, had confirmed in her statement to the CBI and ED that a payment of $7 lakh was made to the bank accounts of overseas firms linked to Karti.
Peter and Indrani Mukerjea implicate former finance minister P Chidambaram
The promoter of INX Media Limited Peter and Indrani Mukerjea has named former finance minister P Chidambaram and even told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths that he had asked them to help out the business of his son Karti Chidambaram during a meeting at North Block.
"In their statement before ED, Peter alias Pratim Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea admitted that they had met P Chidambaram in his office in North Block, where Chidambaram told them to help the business of his son Karti, and to make foreign remittances for this purpose. They further admitted to having met Karti Chidambaram in Hotel Hyatt in Delhi, where a demand for illegal gratification of $1 million was made. It was further admitted that Karti Chidambaram suggested the names of Chess Management and Advantage Strategic as alternatives to make payments," the ED documents accessed by Firstpost said.
Claiming vendetta isn't enough; it's time to substantiate charges with evidence
If the investigation agencies are indeed in possession of such evidence, Karti's arrest should have ideally happened earlier. Another charge by the agencies, that Karti was in the process of destroying evidence, is again very serious, and when proven, will make the accused ineligible for bail. One of the primary grounds for rejection of bail is the destruction of evidence, as has been established in Criminal Law.
Moreover, allegations of a political vendetta by the Opposition against the government are uncalled for and utterly baseless. The criminal justice system of our country also involves the judiciary, and if the arrest or even harassment of the accused is politically motivated, the judiciary will, in all such cases, provide relief. Read more here.
Centre has pushed Congress on backfoot, made strong move to regain anti-corruption mojo
Karti Chidambaram's arrest could be an inflection point in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) attempt to regain the narrative against corruption. For a party which came into power on the back of a promise to clean the swamp and take action against the kingpins behind the UPA's scam-tainted regime, the Narendra Modi government's four-year stint at the Centre has been quite an anti-climactic experience.
Political sentiments depend on narratives. And narratives more often than not are built on signalling intent rather than actual progress or a patient approach. It is possible that Karti's arrest was forced by circumstances instead of procedure, but it presents the BJP with the chance to kill two birds with one stone: Regain the anti-corruption mojo and prove that graft breaches generational gap in the Congress. Read more here.
Karti Chidambaram brought to CBI headquarters in Delhi
#KartiChidambaram brought to CBI Headquarters in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/UVl16RXShM
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
P Chidambaram and Nalini outside Patiala House Court
P Chidambaram and Nalini Chidambaram outside Delhi's Patiala House Court. #KartiChidambram has been sent to 3 more days of CBI Custody by Special CBI Court in #INXMediaCase. pic.twitter.com/u7Lx18TFcD
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
I-T said Karti spent Rs 3.3 crore on US property
I-T claims that Karti spent Rs 3.3 crore on US property and bought assets with the INX bribe money. Sources say Karti will be prosecuted under black money laws, CNN-News 18 reported. CBI said original will that gave firm to Karti's minor daughter was missing.
ASG Tushar Mehta asks people to wait for verdict
I have nothing to say. Let's wait for the Court's order: Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, counsel for CBI #INXMediaCase pic.twitter.com/IR0l0jQGE8
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
CBI gave no reasons but kept repeating 'we have to interrogate': Singhvi
CBI gave no reasons but kept repeating orally that we have to interrogate. Court will pronounce judgement at around 4:30 pm today: A Singhvi, #KartiChidambram's lawyer in #INXMediaCase pic.twitter.com/nSSyrugy62
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Argued CBI hasn't given a single ground or written a single reason in its application for further remand. #KartiChidambram only had a 25-minute long confrontation with Indrani Mukerjea &around 2 hrs long interrogation in last 5 days & there is no need of further custody:A Singhvi pic.twitter.com/38Lm70RSH1
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Singhvi says it comes to 3 factors of flight risk, direct tampering of evidence and non-cooperation
Abhishek Manu Singhvi argues, "It comes down to three factors: flight risk, direct tampering of evidence and non-cooperation. This non-cooperation is not by way of answers given but by way of not submitting before the court."
Karti Chidambaram arrest updates: Special judge Sunil Rana has remanded Karti Chidambaram to a 5-day judicial custody. He will next be produced in court on 6 March. Karti's lawyer can meet him for one hour in morning, and one hour in evening every day. He is allowed to have his medicines on prescription but outside food is not allowed, CNN-News18 reported.
In a dramatic development in the INX Media case, former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI from Chennai airport on his return from abroad, with the Congress crying "political vendetta" and the government rejecting the charge.
Later in the evening, he was remanded to one-day custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation by a Delhi court.
The CBI on Wednesday justified Karti Chidambaram's arrest in the INX Media case in a Delhi court by taking the ground of his non-cooperation and frequent foreign visits, which was vehemently opposed by the defence counsel, who said his client was not summoned by the central probe agency in the last six months.
File image of Karti Chidambaram. News18
Seeking a 15-day custody of the son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, the CBI prosecutors contended before duty magistrate Sumeet Anand that Karti had not cooperated in the investigation and he had been repeatedly travelling abroad, which "confirmed the apprehensions of his tampering with the evidence lying abroad against him and others in the form of secret note received from the Ministry of Finance".
CBI prosecutors VK Sharma and Padmini Singh argued that one of the grounds for arresting Karti was that the agency had recorded the statement of Indrani Mukerjea, former director of INX Media (P) Limited, before a magistrate on 17 February, in which she had said an amount of $1 million was paid to Karti on behalf of INX Media at the Hyatt hotel in New Delhi.
Opposing the CBI's arguments, senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Karti, said it was a "bizarre" case and that no grounds for arrest were made out.
"It is a bizarre case at the threshhold. It is not a case of arrest, leave aside police custody or judicial custody," Singhvi told the court while opposing the CBI's remand plea.
He also argued that Karti was summoned twice by the CBI on 23 and 28 August last year and that he was interrogated for 22 hours by the agency, during which he answered all the questions.
"After those two days, I have not received any single summons from the CBI. It is a 180-day silence and then they say, I (Karti) am not cooperating. The fact is that they do not have anything to ask me now," Singhvi said.
Claiming that no reason was given for the arrest, he said, "It is because you (CBI) want to show it to your bosses that you are doing some work."
"Unlike others, I (Karti) am not a 'Hindustan leaver' and instead, I am a 'Hindustan returner'," Singhvi said, adding that Karti was cooperating with the CBI and that the court might impose any condition while releasing him from the agency's custody.
"Am I (Karti) a fugitive from justice," Singhvi, who was assisted by senior advocates Dayan Krishnan and Mohit Mathur, told the court.
The defence counsel argued that the CBI had tried to stop Karti's foreign visits, but he went abroad twice on court orders and another of his visits outside the country was prior to the issuance of the Look-Out Circular.
"Is it fair to say to the court that I (Karti) am not cooperating? It is only to prejudice the court. It is a clear misrepresentation and distortion of facts by the CBI. They did not apprehend anything while I was going out, but arrested me on my return," he said.
Singhvi further said Karti had gone to the UK after taking the Madras High Court's permission and that he was ready to abide by any condition, including surrendering his passport, daily visits to the CBI office and confinement to a city.
"I am not filing any formal bail application, but opposing the remand application. They should have issued a fresh summons and test my non-cooperation, but they arrested me when I landed at the Chennai airport today (Wednesday) at 9 am. There is no allegation of violation of any conditions imposed by the high court," the counsel argued, adding that the arrest was mala fide.
Singhvi further said it was not even an open-and-shut case, but someone struggling to open a 10-year-old case.
He told the court that Karti appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case filed on similar allegations by the agency as late as 10 days ago and that he was not a repeat offender and remanding him to police custody would add more insult to the injury.
The CBI prosecutors rebutted, saying Singhvi's arguments were false and that Karti had joined the probe only after the Supreme Court's intervention.
They said all the procedures were followed and Karti was informed about the grounds of his arrest. They further argued that Karti had not complied with the Madras High Court's direction to give the itinerary of his stay abroad.
Regarding the defence counsel's argument that the CBI had not filed a status report in any court, claiming that Karti had not cooperated, the prosecutor said the agency was never directed by any court to file any such report.
With inputs from PTI and IANS
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