INX Media money-laundering case: Karti Chidambaram arrested in Chennai, brought to Delhi by CBI
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who arrested Karti Chidambaram on Wednesday morning at the Chennai Airport, brought him to Delhi.
Karti, Congress leader and son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, was arrested for violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act. The CBI team is now bringing Karti to Delhi.
According to sources, Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI sleuths at Chennai airport around 8am when he returned from London.
The case involves the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2007 for receipt of funds by INX Media when Karti's father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was the finance minister during the UPA government's regime.
An FIR was filed by the CBI in connection with the case on May 15 last year. It is alleged that Karti Chidambaram received funds to the tune of Rs 10 lakh in the case, officials said.
Earlier, Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman was arrested in connection with the same case. Bhaskararaman was arrested from a five-star hotel in the heart of the national capital on February 16.
'VENDETTA, DIVERSIONARY TACTIC'
The Congress said that Karti's arrest is vendetta and a diversionary tactic by the Modi government to hide its scams and "mal-governance".
"Karti Chidambaram's arrest would not deter the party from speaking the truth to hold the government accountable," the party's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said.
It was a classical diversionary tactic to hide corruption scams, mal-governance and mal-administration that have marred this government, Surjewala added.
His party colleague, AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot, said Karti Chidambaram was arrested to divert attention from the big issues and the bank scam facing the NDA government.
BJP leader Sambit Patra, however, rubbished Congress' allegations. "I believe no one should consider oneself above the law of country. If corrupt are being jailed and law is taking its own course, I see no reason why any political party should cry vendetta. This is law, not vendetta," Patra said.