INX Media: Indrani, accused-turned approver against Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora killing case, turned approver against former Union finance minister P Chidambaram and his son in the INX Media case.

Mukerjea, the former head of the INX Media, in her confessional statement to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said she and her husband Peter Mukerjea, both had met P Chidambaram at his office in Delhi’s North Block (when he was the finance minister).

In her statement, the accused-turned approver alleged that Chidambaram had asked her to help his son Karti in his business. When the duo (Mukerjeas) met him at Hyatt hotel in Delhi, a bribe of $1 million was asked through offshore payments, as per reports published in Hindustan Times.

Thus, Karti floated a company Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd (ASCPL) for receiving illegal payoffs and raised four invoices for $700,000 (Rs 3.10 crore) on INX Media. 

Her plea was allowed by the court after the agency submitted that it has come across evidence in the form of conversations which only she was privy to, which would help consolidate the case.

Chidambaram, 74, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 and is currently in the ED custody in a related money laundering matter.

The former finance minister along with his son and others has been charged in the case.

The case pertains to cases registered by the CBI and the ED pertaining to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.