INX Media case: Court extends Karti Chidambaram's CBI custody by 3 more days

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Patiala House Court on Tuesday extended the CBI custody of Karti Chidambaram, accused of money laundering in the INX Media case, by three more days. The CBI had sought an extension of Karti's custody to quiz him more in the case. The probe agency told the court that Karti has "not been cooperating" and not parting with his phones passwords. It said Karti was taken to Mumbai and was confronted with jailed Indrani Mukerjea, one of the then promoters of INX media. Kari, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI at Delhi airport on February 28 upon his arrival from the UK. "New revelations in the matter have come up day before yesterday. Cannot divulge much about the investigation but we need his further custody to confront him with the new facts," PTI quoted CBI Counsel Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as saying. He said "new revelations" that cannot be disclosed have come up in the case and Karti's custodial interrogation was necessary to confront him with the "new facts". The ASG said Indrani's statement has been just one of the evidences. Karti was produced before special judge Sunil Rana on expiry of his five-day CBI custody. To every question Karti has been saying that I am politically victimised, Mehta told the court. The ASG alleged that witnesses in the case are being approached and evidences destroyed. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Karti, said the CBI just want to keep him in custody by hook or crook. "I have cooperated. I am not obliged to answer what you (CBI) want to hear. My duty is only to make myself available for questioning," Singhvi submitted. The shifting of stands/reasons by the CBI to keep me in custody is a mala fide attempt on their part to get my custody," the senior advocate said and questioned "Is Indrani's statement even an admissible evidence? She is in jail in murder case of her daughter." He said Karti is not a terrorist with a bomb that he cannot be interrogated without being kept in custody. Karti Chidambaram was arrested on February 28 at Chennai Airport on his return from the United Kingdom, in connection with the FIR lodged on May 15 last year alleging irregularities in FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds worth about Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father was finance minister. The fresh evidence in the case, triggering the arrest, was based on a statement from Indrani Mukerjea, also an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, who recorded it under section 164 of the CrPC before a magistrate on February 17. (With PTI inputs)