In the meantime, the Enforcement Directorate that is probing the role of Chidambaram in the INX media money laundering case, has attached properties belonging to the UPA-era finance minister's son Karti Chidambaram, those of a firm allegedly linked to him and assets belonging to the then directors of the media house Peter and Indrani Mukerjea
New Delhi: The law ministry on Sunday sanctioned the prosecution of former finance minister P Chidambaram by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the INX Media case, according to sources in the ministry.
On January 25, the investigative agency had told the Delhi high court that it wanted to carry out custodial interrogation of Chidambaram in the case, in which the court had reserved its judgment. "We are opposing the anticipatory bail of P Chidambaram. We want to take him in police remand for interrogation. We want to exercise our statutory right to investigate the case," solicitor general Tushar Mehta had told the court while appearing on behalf of the CBI.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the role of Chidambaram in the INX media money laundering case. As the then finance minister, Chidambaram had given a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the group in 2007.
The ED probe so far has shown that, for the FIPB approval, then INX Media directors Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea had met with the minister and senior Congress leader to ensure there was no delay in their application.
The ED has attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Chidambaram's son, Karti Chidambaram, and those of a firm. It has attached properties belonging to the Mukerjeas too.
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