Indrani Mukerjea, currently in jail for allegedly murdering her daughter Sheena Bora, turned approver
The case against former Union minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram has been built on the statement of Indrani Mukerjea, the wife of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, sources have told NDTV.
The two used to head INX Media - the television company for which Mr Chidambaram had allegedly facilitated a huge transfusion of foreign funds during his tenure as the finance minister in the UPA government. His son Karti Chidambaram had received kickbacks for the deal, investigators have said.
Indrani Mukerjea - currently in jail for allegedly murdering her daughter Sheena Bora - has turned approver in the case.
The Enforcement Directorate has relied on her statement to argue its case in the Delhi High Court, convincing it that prima facie, there is a strong case against P Chidambaram and his son. Yesterday, the court refused anticipatory bail to the former minister, which led to his arrest this evening.
Sources have confirmed to NDTV that Indrani Mukerjea told the Enforcement Directorate that Mr Chidambaram instructed them to help Karti Chidambaram in his businesses in exchange for the approval for foreign investment to INX Media.
She also told the agency that the names of two firms -- 'Chess Management' and 'Advantage Strategic' -- were discussed as possible conduits for payments to Karti Chidambaram in return for regularizing alleged irregularities in foreign investment to INX media, sources said.
The agency alleges there are records of conversations that Indrani Mukerjea has alluded to in her statement, which suggests that P Chidambaram had an active role to play in the conspiracy.
Indrani Mukerjea was arrested for the murder of Sheena Bora in August 2015, her husband Peter Mukerjea was arrested by the CBI later. Earlier this year, Indrani Mukerjea filed a divorce plea and turned approver in INX Media case.
In 2017, the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI filed an FIR alleging that there were irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board or FIPB clearance granted to INX Media for receiving Rupees 305 crore from abroad in 2007. The Enforcement Directorate also registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act or PMLA.
Indrani Mukerjea's daughter, 24-year-old Sheena Bora was killed in April 2012.
The CBI, which investigated the case, arrested Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and her former driver in August 2015 after the murder was detected.
In November that year, the agency arrested Peter Mukerjea claiming he was also part of the conspiracy. The agency claims financial dispute is one of the key motives of the murder.