SC says Chidambaram can't be arrested in INX Media case till Wednesday

The Supreme Court Tuesday extended till Wednesday protection from arrest granted to former finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case.
A bench of Justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna said it would hear the arguments of the Enforcement Directorate on Chidambaram's two petitions, including the challenge to remand orders, on Wednesday.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, filed an application seeking transcripts of the questions and answers asked during the interrogation of the former minister.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for ED, said he would like to reply to the fresh application during his course of arguments in the case.

INX Media case: Chidambaram's protection from arrest extended until Aug 1

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday extended the interim protection from arrest granted to former Union minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media corruption case until August 1.
Justice A K Pathak, who had earlier granted the interim protection until Tuesday, extended the relief to Chidambaram by one more month.

The high court had on May 31 asked the senior Congress leader to join questioning and cooperate in the investigation as and when called by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
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The CBI had on the last date of hearing opposed the anticipatory bail plea saying Chidambaram should have first approached the trial court for relief instead of the high court.
ALSO READ: CBI questions Chindambaram in INX Media case, further questioning likely
In Chidambaram's anticipatory bail plea, it was contended that the former minister was being harassed in the case, in which he was not named.
Chidambaram had on May 30 rushed to a trial court for protection from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis case of the Enforcement Directorate before approaching the high court in connection with the INX Media case.
The senior Congress leader's role has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of Rs 35 billion (Rs 3,500 crore) and INX Media case involving Rs 3.05 billion (Rs 305 crore).
ALSO READ: CBI questions P Chidambaram in INX Media case: A timeline of events
It was during his tenure as finance minister in the UPA-1 regime that FIPB clearance was granted to the two ventures in which alleged irregularities have been found.
In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15 last year against alleged irregularities in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 3.05 billion (Rs 305 crore) in 2007 when Chidambaram was finance minister.
Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram was also arrested in the matter on February 28 for allegedly receiving funds to the tune of Rs 1 million (Rs 10 lakh) in the case. He was granted bail on March 23.
ALSO READ: INX Media case: HC grants P Chidambaram interim protection till July 3
The other accused in the case include then INX Media Director Indrani Mukerjea and then INX News Director Peter Mukerjea.

INX Media case: Peter Mukerjea's judicial custody extended till April 13

Former media baron Peter Mukerjea has been sent to judicial custody by a Delhi court till April 13 in connection with the INX Media case.
Earlier this week, the court sent Peter to CBI custody till March 31.

INX Media Ltd, which was owned by Mukerjea, had allegedly paid bribes to get a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval which was facilitated by former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram.
However, on March 23, the Delhi High Court granted bail to Karti in connection with the case, on a surety of Rs 10 million.

INX Media: Karti alleges inhuman treatment in CBI custody: 10 highlights

Karti Chidambaram case: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply on bail plea of Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on March 14 in connection with the INX media money laundering case. The CBI has moved a plea for custody of Karti's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman for confrontation between the two and has also filed another application seeking permissions to produce Indrani and Peter Mukerjea for confrontation and identification of some locations in Delhi. Meanwhile, Karti 's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told media, "We had two matters today. One was the ED matter, court has given protection till 20th March. Our bail application is now listed for March 15." Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court granted interim relief to Karti in connection with the case.

The court also directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to arrest Karti till March 20, the next date of hearing.

Here are the top 10 developments around Karti Chidambaram's arrest:
1. Karti alleges 'inhuman treatment' in CBI custody
Karti Chidambaram on Friday told a Delhi court that the CBI was meting out inhuman treatment" to him in its custody which caused his blood pressure to shoot up.
The accusations were made by Karti when he was produced before special judge Sunil Rana who directed the CBI sleuths to "do the needful, as per rules".
2. HC stops Karti's counsel from making remarks on Indrani's statement

The Delhi High Court stopped Karti Chidambaram's counsel from making any remarks on Indrani Mukerjea, former director of INX Media who is in jail in connection with the killing of her daughter Sheena Bora.

A bench of justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta told Karti's counsel "Don't go into all this" when he asked how could investigating agencies, the CBI and the ED, even rely on the statement of Mukherjea who herself is in jail in connection with her daughter's killing.

3. Joint interrogation of all accused

CBI on Friday moved a plea seeking custody of former Union Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram's Chartered Accountant AS Bhaskararaman for a joint interrogation of the two accused in connection with INX Media money laundering case.

According to ANI, the CBI filed another application seeking the court's permission to produce Indrani and Peter Mukerjea for confronting them will all accused in the case.

4. CBI to file reply on Karti's bail plea on Mar 14

CBI to file its reply on bail plea of Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on March 14 in connection with the INX media money laundering case.

The CBI has moved a plea for custody of Karti's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman for confrontation between the two and has also filed another application seeking permissions to produce Indrani and Peter Mukerjea for confrontation and identification of some locations in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Karti 's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told media, "We had two matters today. One was the ED matter, court has given protection till 20th March. Our bail application is now listed for March 15."

5. CBI produces Karti Chidambaram in Delhi High Court

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday produced Karti Chidambaram before the Delhi High Court. The investigating agency sought Chidambaram junior's custody for another six days in the INX Media case as the earlier three-day custody of Karti Chidambaram was ending on Friday.

6. Delhi HC taketh Karti away, giveth his CA:

Even as it gave an interim relief to Karti Chidambaram, the Delhi High Court extended until March 22 the judicial custody of his chartered accountant, S Bhaskararaman, who had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the INX Media case.

Karti's CA had sought bail, saying he was not required for custodial inquiry. so there was no reason why he should be kept in custody.

Bhaskararaman had been imprisoned on February 26 after being quizzed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had nabbed him on February 16 from a five-star hotel New Delhi.

The ED's special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana had earlier told the court that Karti's accountant had been assisting him to manage his "ill-gotten wealth" in India and abroad.

7. SC allows Karti Chidambaram to withdraw plea

The Supreme Court on Thursday gave Karti Chidambaram the go-ahead to proceed to the Delhi High Court with his plea seeking an immunity against arrest.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also allowed Karti to withdraw his plea related to the INX Media money laundering case pending with the Supreme Court.

Karti Chidambaram approached the SC requesting it to declare that the Enforcement Directorate had no jurisdiction to conduct any probe on matters not related to the allegations in the FIR filed by CBI on May 15, 2017.

8. Green signal to Karti Chidambaram will set a bad precedent, ED tells SC

The ED said allowing Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to approach the high court in the money laundering case arising out of the INX Media graft case, would set a "bad precedent" for others.

9. Ready for Narco test on Karti: Gujarat govt

The Vijay Rupani-led Gujarat government said that narco analysis Karti Chidambaram could be conducted at the Forensic Sciences Laboratory (FSL) in his state, provided the Modi government wished so.

Earlier, the CBI had approached a court in Delhi seeking a narco-analysis test on Karti to ascertain certain facts in the INX Media case.

10. P Chidambaram may be quizzed

Former finance minister P Chidambaram could also be called by CBI for questioning, several reports had said earlier, quoting officials of the investigating agency.

Karti not disclosing his mobile phone password, complains CBI

Earlier, the CBI had sought an extension of Karti's judicial custody in light of "new revelations". A further custodial interrogation was necessary to confront him with "new facts", it had said. Though there was a "substantial progress" in the INX Media case, the junior Chidambaram "had not been cooperating" and not disclosing passwords to his phones, the CBI had complained.

Karti Chidambaram arrest: Cong sees vendetta, BJP law; top 10 developments

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son and businessman Karti Chidambaram was on Wednesday arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Chennai in connection with the so-called INX Media money-laundering case. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted to the development by saying that no one should consider themselves as being above the law of the country.
According to Karti Chidambaram's PRO, he was detained at the Chennai Airport. After the necessary formalities were completed, 46-year-old Karti was put on a domestic flight to the national capital, where he would be produced before a designated court later in the afternoon.
The case relates to the approval given by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for the receipt of funds by INX Media which took place while Karti's father, P Chidambaram, was the Union finance minister. CBI has alleged that the Foreign Exchange Management Act (Fema) was violated. The Chidambarams, however, have denied all charges made against them.
The Congress has called Karti's arrest a "vendetta" and a "diversionary tactic". The BJP, for its part, has said that this is the law.
Here are the top 10 developments around Karti Chidambaram and the INX Media case:
1) CBI to use Indrani Mukerjea's confession: CBI sources told news agencies that the probe agency will inform the court about Indrani Mukerjea's alleged confession that in 2007, the Mukerjea couple took help of Chess Management Service once their application for FIPB clearance of Rs 3.05 billion (Rs 305 crore) was rejected. The sources added that the FIPB allowed only Rs 50 million (Rs 5 crore) clearance.
The CBI sources added that once Chess Management was hired and rules were made for Karti's 'services'. Further, Karti's management company was paid Rs 1 million (Rs 10 lakh). This, according to the sources, would be the focus of the remand application.

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CBI will inform Court about Indrani Mukerjea's alleged confession that in '07, the couple took help of Chess Management Service once their application for FIPB clearance of Rs 305Cr was rejected. FIPB allowed only Rs 5 Cr clearance : CBI Sources #KartiChidambram
1:08 PM - Feb 28, 2018
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CBI will inform Court about Indrani Mukerjea's alleged confession that in '07, the couple took help of Chess Management Service once their application for FIPB clearance of Rs 305Cr was rejected. FIPB allowed only Rs 5 Cr clearance : CBI Sources #KartiChidambram

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Once Chess Management was hired, rules were made for his 'services', Karti management company was paid Rs 10 lakh. This will be the focus of remand application: CBI Sources
1:08 PM - Feb 28, 2018
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2) BJP says this is law, not a vendetta: Reacting to Karti Chidambaram being taken into CBI custody, BJP’s Sambit Patra said this was about the law, and not vendetta. "I believe no one should consider oneself above the law of country. If corrupt are being jailed and law is taking its own course, I see no reason why any political party should cry vendetta," Patra said.
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I believe no one should consider oneself above the law of country. If corrupt are being jailed & law is taking its own course, I see no reason why any political party should cry vendetta.This is law,not vendetta: Sambit Patra, BJP on Karti Chidambaram being taken into CBI custody
11:39 AM - Feb 28, 2018
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3) Detained at the airport: On Wednesday morning, Karti Chidambaram was detained by the CBI in connection with the INX Media case. According to news agency PTI, officials said that Karti was arrested at the Chennai airport at around eight in the morning when he returned from the United Kingdom.
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Karti Chidambaram at Chennai Airport, he was taken into custody by CBI over INX media case. pic.twitter.com/tyOf2Spfnb

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#UPDATE: INX Media Case: CBI team, along with Karti Chidambaram, leaves for Delhi from Chennai.
11:02 AM - Feb 28, 2018
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Karti Chidambaram at Chennai Airport, he was taken into custody by CBI over INX media case.
10:51 AM - Feb 28, 2018
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4) 'Congress won't be deterred': Reacting to Karti Chidambaram being taken into custody by the CBI, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said the party would not be deterred by unleashing of a vendetta against P Chidambaram and his family. "We will continue to bring out the truth," Surjewala added.
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Congress will not be deterred by unleashing of vendetta against P.Chidambaram & his family, we will continue to bring out the truth: Randeep Surjewala, Congress on Karti Chidambaram being taken in custody by CBI
9:47 AM - Feb 28, 2018
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Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan said while the CBI might have evidence against Karti, there was "no justification" to arrest him during investigation, without a chargesheet being filed, as there was no danger he would flee the country.

Prashant Bhushan
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Though CBI may have evidence against Karti Chidambaram, yet there's no justification to arrest him during investigation, without a charge sheet, since there is no danger of his fleeing the country. This show, while big fish like NiMo, MehulBhai &Mallya are allowed to loot & scoot
11:26 AM - Feb 28, 2018
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Ashok Gehlot
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Mr Karti Chidambaram was arrested when he landed at Chennai airport, he was not trying to escape from India like Nirav Modi then arresting him on his arrival at airport is funny. Karti Chidambaram was cooperating the CBI, the CBI could have summoned him.
9:59 AM - Feb 28, 2018
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5) Karti's CA remanded to 14-day judicial custody: On Monday, Delhi's Patiala House court had sent S Bhaskaran, Karti's chartered accountant (CA), to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the INX Media case.
According to agency reports, Special judge N K Malhotra had sent the CA to Tihar Jail after he was produced from the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), whose special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana had sought three more days of custodial interrogation. Bhaskararaman had been arrested from a five-star hotel in the heart of the national capital on February 16.
ALSO READ: INX Media PMLA case: Karti Chidambaram appears before ED for questioning
Earlier, the probe agency had claimed that during the course of its investigation, it found that Bhaskararaman, who is a qualified CA, had been assisting Karti in managing his "ill-gotten wealth", both in India and abroad.
The agency had said that the investigation required the presence of Bhaskararaman for collecting vital evidence and other information within his special knowledge and exclusive domain.
6) P Chidambaram approached SC: On February 24, it was reported that senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had approached the Supreme Court seeking the protection of his fundamental rights, including the right to privacy. The senior Chidambaram took the step amid summons to his son Karti and raids by the CBI and the ED in connection with the Aircel-Maxis and INX Media cases.
The senior Chidambaram claimed in his plea that as part of a "political vendetta", the CBI and the ED had made "vexatious" searches and issued repeated summons in these cases.
7) Karti was under ED scanner, too: On February 23, it was reported that the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the summons issued by the ED against Karti in the INX Media case. The apex court had asked him to appear before it on March 1.
Refusing to interfere with the ED's summons, the Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Amitava Roy, and Justice D Y Chandrachud had, however, adjourned the hearing until March 6. The Bench had permitted Karti to make a representation to the ED seeking more time to appear before it.
Earlier, Karti had been questioned by the ED, which had summoned him on February 2, after which he had informed the agency that he would be unable to depose as he had an interlocutory application pending in the Supreme Court in this case, says reports.
ALSO READ: Aircel- Maxis case: ED raids Karti Chidambaram's premises in Delhi, Chennai
8) Raids and hours of grilling: On February 16, it was reported that the ED carried out fresh searches against people allegedly linked to Karti in connection with the INX Media case.
Officials had told news agencies that the raids were conducted at three premises in Chennai under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the anti-money laundering law. The officials added that the searches were carried out against people allegedly linked to Karti.
On February 15, the ED had questioned Karti for over 10 hours in Delhi.
ALSO READ: Aircel-Maxis case: Karti Chidambaram moves SC against CBI summon
9) The CBI case: The CBI had filed an FIR on May 15 last year, alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving funds from abroad to the tune of Rs 3.05 billion (Rs 305 crore) in 2007, when senior Chidambaram was the Union finance minister.
It is alleged that Karti received funds to the tune of Rs 1 million (Rs 10 lakh) in the case, they said.
The CBI is also probing the alleged irregularities in grant of FIPB clearance to the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006.
10) The ED case: The ED had registered a money laundering case against Karti and others in May of 2017. It registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the probe agency's equivalent of a police FIR, against the accused who were also named in a CBI complaint, including Karti, INX Media, and its directors -- Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.
The ECIR was lodged under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The central probe agency has been probing the alleged "proceeds of crime" generated in this case.
It was the ED that had provided information about the alleged illegal payments made by INX Media, based on which the CBI had filed its FIR.
The ED has alleged that INX Media, deliberately and in violation of the conditions of the approval, made a downstream investment of 26 per cent in the capital of INX News Pvt Ltd without specific approval of FIPB. This included indirect foreign investment by some foreign investors. This generated Rs 3.05 billion (Rs 305 crore) foreign direct investment in INX Media Pvt Ltd against the approved foreign inflow of Rs 46.2 million (Rs 4.62 crore).
The ED further alleged that INX Media entered into a criminal conspiracy with Karti to wriggle out of the situation without any punitive action.
Moreover, the agency alleged that the finance ministry's FIPB unit had not only granted an illegal approval but also misinformed the Income Tax Department's investigation wing.