P Chidambaram’s son, Karti Chidambaram. (File Photo)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will produce an interrogation report of Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance case before the Supreme Court on September 11. The agency told the apex court there are ‘good, cogent reasons’ for the lookout circular that was issued against Karti in the case.
Karti was interrogated by the CBI for the second time on August 28 in connection with the dealings that a company associated with him had with INX Media, which got FIPB approval when Chidambaram was the finance minister. The agency is examining Karti in connection with FIPB clearance given to INX Media for receiving funds from Mauritius. The CBI had alleged that a firm “indirectly controlled” by Karti had received money from INX Media, run by Indrani and Peter Mukerjea in 2007. Three suspected associates of Karti — Bhaskar Raman, Ravi Vishwanathan and Mohanan Rakesh — were also questioned.
The Madras High Court had earlier refrained from granting relief to Karti who sought the quashing of the FIR filed by the CBI in the case. Justice P Velmurugan directed the court registry to return all the papers in the case to the petitioner so as to enable him approach the Delhi High Court which has superintendence powers in the matter.
During the pendency of the petition challenging the summons, a ‘look out circular’ was issued by the government against Karti and subsequently stayed by the high court. However, the Supreme Court had on August 14 stayed the high court order on an appeal by the Centre after observing that Karti had not joined the investigation in the case.
