MUMBAI: Indrani Mukherjea, the jailed co-founder of INX Media who turned approver in the case related to huge foreign funding received by the media house, has hailed the arrest of former union home and finance minister P Chidambaram in the case.
"It's good news that P Chidambaram has been arrested," Mukerjea told the reporters at the session's court premises here when she was asked to comment upon the development.
Chidambaram was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 21 under charges of facilitating a huge infusion of foreign funds into INX Media in 2007, when he was Finance Minister, at the instance of his son Karti, who allegedly received kickbacks for his role. Indrani and Peter the founder owners of INX Media are the co-accused in the case.
Indrani and Peter, who have been jailed in the murder case of Indrani's daughter Sheena Bora, had first named P Chidambaram and his son Karthi in the case related to the INX Media case.
Indrani had on July 11 turned an approver in the CBI case involving Rs 305 crore relating to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). In her application to turn approver, Mukherjea had prayed for pardon in the case in exchange of full and true disclosure.
In March, 2018, Indrani told the CBI in a statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC that a deal of $1 million was struck between Karti Chidambaram and the Mukerjeas to secure approval from the FIPB in favour of INX Media.
Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI in February last year in connection with the case. He was released on bail in March.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had questioned Karti Chidambaram on several occasions in the INX Media case and his father twice.