Give evidence of laundering charge against P Chidambaram: Court to ED

NEW DELHI: Fast tracking the money laundering case against former finance minister P Chidambaram, a special Delhi court has asked the Enforcement Directorate to produce all documents in support of charges made against him and his son Karti in a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) filed recently in the INX Media case.
The special judge, who is hearing cases of corruption against MPs and MLAs, has fixed the next date of hearing on October 22. The ED, which has argued for taking cognisance of the complaint and start of trial, is set to produce the voluminous records before the designated court.
The prosecution complaint against Chidambaram was filed on June 1 using the court’s e-filing system. However, the court had then directed the agency to file a physical copy of the complaint once the court opened for normal proceedings once the lockdown was over.
On September 28, the special judge took up the matter for hearing and asked the ED to produce all documents and evidence in support of its claims made in the chargesheet against Chidambaram. The special judge indicated that if physical hearing of the case was not possible on October 22 for any reason, the matter would be taken up through virtual court but it would not be delayed further.
This is the first prosecution complaint in the INX Media money laundering case against Chidambaram and his son where the enforcement agency has made specific charges of shell companies operated by the accused in overseas tax jurisdictions for the sole purpose of laundering tainted money.
While opposing Chidambaram’s bail application before the Supreme Court when he was arrested in the INX Media case last year, the ED had claimed that it had collected documentary evidence related to shell companies controlled by Karti. The evidence included emails “exchanged between the co-conspirators on behalf of the appellant (Chidambaram) to indicate investment of laundered money in benami properties”. Chidambaram had got bail after spending 106 days in custody.