ED files chargesheet against Chidambaram, Karti in INX Media Case

Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet against senior Congress leader P Chidamabaram in the INX Media money laundering case. After the CBI filed a charge sheet against him in the aforementioned case, ED filed a password protected e-charge sheet against him.

The charge sheet has been filed in the court of CBI special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar who has instructed the agency to file a hard copy of the charge sheet once the court starts its functioning as normal.

Apart from P Chidambaram,  his son Karti Chidambaram, Chartered Accountant (CA) Bhaskaraman and others have been named in the charge sheet.

The agencies are probing the alleged irregularities in granting FIPB clearance worth Rs 305 crore to INX Media when Chidambaram was the finance minister. The ED had registered a PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) case based on FIR by the CBI and alleged that irregularities took place in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007.

Both the investigating agencies are also probing how Chidambaram's son Karti managed to obtain the FIPB clearance.

The ED probe so far showed that for the FIPB approval, INX Media directors Peter and Indrani Mukerjea met P Chidambaram so that there was no delay in their application.

Congress leader P Chidambaram was granted bail by Supreme Court in the INX Media money laundering case on December 4. A case registered by the Enforcement Directorate and Chidambaram was in custody for over 100 days.

Karti Chidambaram was arrested on February 28, 2018. He was later granted bail.