New Delhi, Oct 11: The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets to the tune of Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti Chidambbaram, son of former union minister, P Chidambaram. The seizure was made in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case.
Assets have been seized from both India and abroad, agency sources informed OneIndia. The case is being registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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The assets were attached from India, UK and Spain. The assets belonging to his firm to have been attached. The Jor Bagh home in Ooty and one in Delhi too have been attached. Further his properties in Kodaikanal to have been attached. In UK, his cottage has been attached. The ED has also attached a tennis club in Spain.
Further the ED also attached properties belonging to Peter and Indrani Mukerjea in connection with the same case.
The CBI said that INX Media promoted by the jailed Peter and Indrani Mukerjea had approached Karti for help after it received a letter from the Finance Ministry asking it to explain how it raised money.
The officials deliberately embarked on showing undue favour to INX Media by abusing their official position and "advised" the firm to apply afresh for FIPB approval for downstream investment. The INX Media then applies again concealing the fact that they had already received the investment. "Such deceitful and fallacious proposal was favourably considered" by the officials and approved by the then Finance Minister (Chidambaram), the FIR stated.
Payments to Karti were made to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd (ASCPL), which was "indirectly" controlled by him. INX Media records show that Rs Ten lakh payment to ASCPL was mentioned as 'Management consultancy charges towards FIPB notification and clarification, the CBI further stated.
Another Rs 3.5 crore given to other companies in which Karti has "sustainable" interests. "Such invoices were falsely got raised for creation acquisition of media content, a consultancy in respect of market research, acquisition of content of various genre of audio/video etc."