Problem rising for Chidambaram, Indrani Mukerjea claims to have paid $5 million to P Chidambaram

NewDelhi: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed the chargesheet in the special court on Friday in the INX Media case which stated that Indrani Mukerjea, claiming to have paid a bribe of US $5 million to former Finance Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram through offshore payments in Singapore, Mauritius, Bermuda, the UK and Switzerland

The CBI also stated that it is awaiting response to its Letters Rogatory (formal request to a foreign court for judicial assistance) sent to five countries.

CBI filed a chargesheet against four entities and ten people under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery), 471 (signing a forged document as genuine) of Indian Penal Code and

Section 9 (taking gratification, for exercise of personal influence with public servant), 13(1)(d) (abusing one’s position as a public servant) of 13(2) (public servant who commits criminal misconduct) of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The four entities charged are INX Media Private Limited (currently 9X Media Private Limited), INX News

Private Limited (Direct News), Chess Management Services Private Limited and Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited (ASCPL).

The agency has charged Former Finance MinisterP Chidambaram his son Karti P Chidambaram, Ajeet Kumar Dungdung, the then section officer of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) unit at Ministry of Finance, Rabindra Prasad, then under secretary at FIPB unit, Pradeep Kumar Bagga, then officer on special duty at Department of Economic Affairs, Prabodh Saxena, then director FIPB, Anup K Pujari, then

Joint Secretary (Foreign Trade) Department of Economic Affairs, Sindhushree Khullar, then additional secretary, S Bhaskararaman, Chartered Accountant, and Peter Mukherjea, then director INX Media Limited.

The CBI has made Indrani Mukerjea as approver in this case. Mukherjea is currently in jail in Mumbai in connection with the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora. She had given her statement to CBI in which she stated about a meeting with P. Chidambaram to discuss the modalities of illegal gratification was held between March/April 2007.

Bureau Report