After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) now plans to summon the accused in the money laundering case filed to probe the alleged irregularities in the use of foreign funds by INX Media.
Among those named as accused are Karti Chidambaram, son of the former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, INX Media and INX News, represented by its then directors Indrani Mukherjea and Pritam alias Peter Mukherjea, who are now in judicial custody in the Sheena Bora murder case.
The ED is pursuing the money trail and it will soon issue summonses to the persons named in the case to record their statements.
CBI had summoned
The CBI had also summoned Mr. Karti and four others allegedly associated with him to join the probe between June 27 and June 29. However, all have sought more time. “If they claim that they are innocent, they must join the investigation at the earliest for necessary clarifications. We have considered their response, furnished through their lawyers, and will issue fresh summons later this month,” a CBI official said.
The agencies have accused Mr. Karti of having received commissions through a company allegedly associated with him to scuttle a probe proposed by the Department of Revenue into the allegations against INX Media. It has been alleged that INX Media got approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board for ₹4.62-crore investment in 2007, but the company received ₹305 crore in foreign direct investment from two Mauritius-based companies through the sale of shares at a premium of ₹800 a unit.
