“The police custody remand of Karti Chidambaram is necessary to confront the accused with documents, co-accused and to unearth the larger conspiracy and the role of other accused persons involved in the case,'' said the CBI, which is probing the INX Media case, in its application filed before the special CBI judge on Tuesday. The court extended Karti's police custody for three more days till March 9.
Sources in the CBI said that the next three days are going to be crucial for the investigating agency which will have to work overtime to confront Karti with all the documents that demonstrate his alleged role in using the office of his father, then finance minister P. Chidambaram, in trying to influence decisions that went in favour of certain companies for which he received alleged kickbacks in the form of monetary gains. Karti is also expected to be confronted with the other co-accused in the case .
The agency sources are not ruling out questioning of P. Chidambaram in the next few days. So far, the former finance minister has not been questioned in the case by the CBI. The sources pointed out that the agency has got concrete evidence of Karti's role and the charges are ''enormous'' in nature and as the need arises, the former finance minister can be called for questioning.
The CBI application seeking further custody of Karti is scathing in its remarks of his behaviour during questioning by the sleuths.
The CBI told the court that Karti has been ''evasive'' even while answering routine questions . ''It is submitted that during custodial interrogation so far the investigating agency is able to gather some information, though, the accused has remained evasive even while answering the routine questions,” it said.
The CBI told the court that the investigations relate to Karti influencing the public servants of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) unit of the finance ministry, by virtue of his relationship with Chidambaram and thus preventing any punitive action being taken against the INX group.
The CBI, which had sought nine days of police custody of Karti Chidambaram, said he was taken to Mumbai and confronted with Indrani Mukerjea, one of the then promoters of INX Media, at the Byculla prison and her statement was just one of the evidences.
The CBI allegations are that INX Media (P) Limited entered into a criminal conspiracy with Karti Chidambaram, director of Chess Management Services Limited, following which illegal acts were alleged to have been committed by the INX Media in receiving excess foreign direct investment than the amount approved by the FIPB and unauthorised downwards investment made by INX Media in INX News without the approval of FIPB. “Punitive action against the INX Media was got scuttled by Karti” who used the office of his father, the finance minister P. Chidambaram,” alleged the CBI as it sought police custody of Karti for nine more days.
After heated arguments between Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta and Karti's counsel, Abhishek Manu Singvi who accused the CBI of trying to build a false case and pressurizing his client to give the answers it wants, the court finally granted three days extension of the police custody.
During the period of remand, all the conditions laid down in the March 1 order will prevail—that Karti Chidambaram will be medically examined every 24 hours and will be at liberty to seek the assistance of his counsel , one hour each in the morning and evening. Though he will be permitted to carry medicines on prescription with him, he will be denied home food.
Singvi argued that it is a ten year old case and his client cannot change the files and testimony of officials. He also said that Karti can be available for questioning by the CBI morning to evening by the agency; so why is there a need for extension of police custody?
Throughout the hearing, the parents of Karti Chidambaram, P. Chidambaram and his lawyer wife Nalini Chidambaram remained in the Patiala House court in the capital. Karti, however, appeared to be leading from the front for now as he waved to the media amidst a crowd of protesters who had gathered outside the court complex, sloganeering in support of the young politician.
On March 1, the court had allowed Karti Chidambaram's custodial interrogation by the CBI for five days, saying there was need to unearth the larger conspiracy in the INX Media case and his presence would serve an important purpose.
Karti Chidambaram was arrested on February 28 at Chennai Airport on his return from the United Kingdom, in connection with the FIR lodged on May 15 last year alleging irregularities in FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds worth about Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father was finance minister.
The fresh evidence in the case, triggering the arrest, was based on a statement from Indrani Mukerjea, also an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, who recorded it under section 164 of the CrPC before a magistrate on February 17.
With inputs from agencies