Karti quizzed over money laundering

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 20

Congress MP Karti Chidambram today appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the INX Media money-laundering case.

Officials in the ED said, Karti, who is former Finance Minister P Chidambram’s son, appeared before the investigating officer in the case and recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The MP from Tamil Nadu’s Shivganga Lok Sabha seat was last questioned in the case in October. He has been questioned multiple times by the agency in the past in connection with the case, in which his father has also been quizzed.

P Chidamabaram had been arrested in the case by the CBI and the ED last year and had to spend over 100 days in custody before he was released in December. Karti was also arrested in the case by the CBI. It is understood that Karti is being questioned on some fresh leads obtained by the agency.

In 2018, the ED had attached Karti’s assets worth Rs 54 crore located in India, the UK and Spain.

The ED had earlier alleged that P Chidambaram and Karti were the “beneficial owners” of several shell firms that were incorporated in India and abroad in connection with a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval given to the INX Media group during the former’s tenure as the Union Finance Minister.