The Central Bureau of Investigation on questioned former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media case.
Mr. Chidambaram reached the CBI headquarters around 11 a.m., following which he was questioned for over four hours. He later tweeted: “Appeared before CBI. FIR contains no allegations against me. Questions and answers were based on the files of FIPB. Hence, there was little to add to the record.”
The CBI said it had summoned the former Finance Minister under Section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC), which pertains to those who are suspected to have committed a cognisable offence. “If required, he will be summoned again,” said a CBI official.
In February, the agency had arrested Mr. Chidambaram’s son, Karti, on allegations that he had demanded and accepted $1 million for scuttling a possible probe against INX Media for violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board conditions in 2007. He was later released on bail.
In a statement to the CBI, the agency said, the then INX Media director Indrani Mukerjea — who is facing trial along with husband Peter Mukerjea for the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora — had claimed that Mr. Karti demanded and accepted the amount. Her statement has also been recorded under Section 164 of Cr.PC.
Aircel case
In the Aircel-Maxis deal case, the Enforcement Directorate has again summoned Mr. Chidambaram for recording his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on June 12. The agency had quizzed him in the case on Tuesday.