CBI summons Karti Chidambaram in INX Media bribery case

New Delhi: The CBI on Wednesday issued summons to Karti Chidambaram, the son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, in its ongoing probe against him in a corruption case, an official said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its third notice to Karti, asked him to appear at its headquarters in south Delhi`s Lodhi Road on Friday. 

The agency wants to examine Karti in a case related to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media for allegedly receiving funds from Mauritius when his father was the Union Finance Minister. 

The agency had issued summons to Karti and four others for questioning on June 27 and June 29, but they did not turn up. 

Karti, through his lawyer, had then informed the CBI that he needed more time to appear. 

The CBI on May 15 registered an FIR against Karti on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, accepting gratification by corrupt or illegal means, influencing public servants, and criminal misconduct.

Karti is alleged to have received Rs 3.5 crore from Mumbai-based INX media, now 9X Media, for helping it in getting FIPB clearance when it was run by Peter and Indrani Mukherjea, both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case. 

The FIR does not mention the name of Chidambaram senior, though it says he cleared the FIPB approval for Rs 4.62 crore Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the FIPB meeting on May 18, 2007.

Karti left for London two days after the CBI registered a case against him.

In May, the agency had conducted raids at the premises of Karti, Peter, and Indrani at 14 locations in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi National Capital Region in connection with the case.