Sources says investigating officer R Parthasarathy hasn't had much success in extracting details of Chidambaram and his family members' assets and bank accounts
Unable to extract much from "intelligent" Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram, the CBI has decided to seek further custody of him in the INX Media case, DNA has learnt.
Chidambaram, who was arrested amid high-voltage drama on August 21, will be produced in a court on Monday. His bail plea also comes for hearing in the Supreme Court today.
Sources said investigating officer R Parthasarathy hasn't had much success in extracting details of Chidambaram and his family members' assets and bank accounts and has decided to seek more time to question him in custody.
Parthasarathy, a deputy superintendent of police, has told his seniors in CBI that Chidambaram is a "very intelligent man" and has remained "evasive" throughout.
"Many things have surfaced during the investigation and we are trying to get more evidence through interrogation," said a senior CBI officer adding, "We need his custody as we have to confront him with many co-accused and witnesses in the case."
Sources said CBI has found that Chidambaram and his family members own assets and have bank accounts in 14 countries and most of them are linked to a subsidiary of his son Karti Chidambaram's company Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited – Advantage Strategic Consulting Singapore Pte Ltd.
The assets were amassed by Karti between 2006 and 2014 when Chidambaram was the finance minister, said sources in the probe agency. Chidambaram is currently in custody in connection with a probe into alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving ?305 crore from overseas in 2007.
Karti's Singapore-based firm had acquired a majority stake in a big resort in Sri Lanka, known as Lanka Fortune Residencies. This company owns the prestigious resorts 'The Waterfront', 'Weligama Bay Resort' and Emerald Bay Hotel.
Sources said Karti's company also had transactions with Aircel Televenutres, DCB Client, Diageo Scotland limited, Katra Group, Sri lanka Export Development Board, Unifi Wealth Management ltd, VST Tillers Tractors, Carlton Trading Company, Claris life Sciences', ITC Centre, Best land Realty limited, Essar Steel limited, Gokul Builders and Estates, S Kumar, INX Media, Reflections, Thiagarajar Mills Private limited, Sak Soft, El Forge limited.
The CBI wants to know how Chidambaram allegedly misused his position as the finance minister to get so many private companies to do business with Karti's company.
The CBI could not get any answer from Chidambaram why he met officials from Diageo Scotland Limited, which acquired fugitive Vijay Mallya's UB Spirits, when he was the finance minister and why the company paid $15,000 as service charges to Karti's ASCPL.
The agency apparently countered him with Diageo's email thanking Karti for fixing an appointment of company owner Lord Blyth with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then finance minister. The mail had the receipt of the payment for fixing the appointment.
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