INX Media case: Delhi court extends Indrani Mukerjea's judicial custody for 14 days

NEW DELHI: The Patiala House Court in Delhi extended the judicial custody Indrani Mukerjea for 14 days in connection with the alleged INX Media bribery case.

Indrani - one of the former directors of INX Media Ltd - appeared before the court through video conferencing from Mumbai's Byculla jail.

In a related development, Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister and veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram moved to the Supreme Court earlier in the day, seeking the quashing of summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate.

On Sunday, Karti was taken to the Byculla Central Jail by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in the bribery case. Upon reaching the Byculla Central jail, Karti was made to face Indrani and Peter Mukerjea, co-accused in the money laundering case.

Indrani Mukerjea had recently admitted before a magistrate that Karti had met her in a Delhi hotel and demanded USD 1 million in bribe for the FIPB clearance.

The ED had registered a case in May last year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its directors - Peter and Indrani Mukerjea - both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

Indrani along with her husband Peter Mukerjea "allegedly siphoned off 90 million GBP (Great Britain Pounds) and this money is suspected to have gone to overseas countries through unauthorised route of hawala etc", the ED plea had said.

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) permitted INX Media to receive FDI for Rs 46.2 million, however, it received foreign investment totalling to Rs 3,053.6 million during August 2007 to May 2008, the ED had said.

"Thus excess foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 3004.4 million beyond the disclosed and permitted foreign investment was received by INX media from three Mauritius-based foreign investors," the agency had said.

Rabin, Peter's son from an earlier marriage, was found to be handling funds of Peter and Indrani Mukerjea held in the form of bonds in New Zealand, the ED had said.

"Rabin... Peter and Indrani have laundered money and are involved in financial transactions in UK connected with illicit funds generated in India," the application had said.

The ED also noted that the murder of Sheena Bora, Indrani Mukerjea's daughter from an earlier relationship, was suspected to be motivated by financial reasons.