INX Media case: CBI shoots 50 questions at Karti Chidambaram

Former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti on Friday spent the day of Holi behind bars, answering questions of CBI investigators in the INX Media case.

Sources said CBI sleuths fired at least 50 questions at him about the grant of approval to INX Media for foreign direct investment (FDI). Investigators are learnt to have asked Karti about certain government documents which are suspected to have been destroyed.

He was quizzed in two rounds during the day while the third round took place in the evening. Sources said Karti has so far denied any involvement in INX Media getting the clearance from Foreign Investment Promotion Board when his father was at the helm of the Ministry of Finance.

Karti is also learnt to have denied meeting Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea in 2008.

Indrani had said, in a statement recorded before a magistrate, that the couple had met Karti in Hotel Hyatt in Delhi and he demanded $1 million for facilitating the clearance. Her statement can be used as evidence in court.

Karti was allowed to meet his lawyer twice in the day for one hour each according to court orders while he was quizzed in three rounds. However, he was not allowed home food.

On Thursday evening at the courtroom, Karti had a friendly banter with some CBI officers, asking them whether the investigating officers had mobile apps like Swiggy or Zomato, used for ordering food. When they said they did not, Karti said they would have to download them.