INX Media case: ED issues fresh summons to Karti Chidambaram

Karti ChidambaramThe Enforcement Directorate ED has issued fresh summons to Karti Chidambaram son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media money laundering case official sources said They said Karti has been asked to depose before the investigating officer IO of the case on February 15 Karti could not be reached for a comment on the development The central probe agency had earlier summoned Karti on February 2 after which he informed them that he would be unable to depose as he has an interlocutory application pending in the Supreme Court in this caseHe was earlier grilled by the agency in this case on January 18 Talking to reporters Karti had said that he told the investigators what he had earlier clearly stated in his petitions in the court in the case The former Union ministers son was referring to his moving of various courts including the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court in response to the EDs action against him The central probe agency had registered the case against him and others in May last yearIt had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report ECIR the EDs equivalent of a police FIR against the accused named in a CBI complaint including Karti Chidambaram INX Media and its directors Peter and Indrani Mukerjea The ECIR was lodged under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA The sources said the ED was probing the alleged proceeds of crime generated in this case It was the Enforcement Directorate which had provided information about the alleged illegal payments made by INX Media based on which the CBI had filed its FIRThe CBI had also carried out searches at the houses and offices of Karti Chidambaram across four cities for allegedly receiving money from the media firm owned by the Mukerjeas to scuttle a tax probe The Chidambarams however have denied all the charges made against them The CBI had filed the FIR against Karti and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy cheating receiving illegal gratification influencing public servants and criminal misconductThe agency has alleged that Karti received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board FIPB conditions to receive investment from Mauritius The CBI has said that it also seized vouchers of Rs 10 lakh which were allegedly paid for the servicesThe vouchers were issued in favour of the Advantage Strategic Consulting P Limited a firm indirectly owned by Chidambarams son Former finance minister P Chidambaram after the CBI searches on May 16 last year had issued a strong statement against the raids saying the government was using the CBI and other agencies to target his son The FIPB approval was granted in hundreds of cases the senior Congress leader had saidThe CBI FIR was made out against Karti his company Chess Management Services the Mukerjeas currently in jail on charges of murder of their daughter Sheena Bora INX Media Advantage Strategic Consulting Services and its director Padma VishwanathanCatch up on all the latest Mumbai National and International news hereDownload the new midday Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go