Never met Indrani: Karti contradicts ED claims

Rubbishing claims of Enforcement Directorate (ED), Karti Chidambaram, who is also an accused in INX Media case along with his father P. Chidambaram, said he never met Peter or Indrani Mukherjea.

Speaking to media at Jantar Mantar, Karti said, "I have never met Indrani Mukherjea. I have never met Peter mukherjea". However, he said, the only time he met her was during the CBI interrogation in Byculla jail. 

He added, "I don't go to my farther's (P. Chidambaram's) office. Earlier he had said, "I never met anyone in FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board), don't know the process of FIPB."

This is a clear contradiction to what Indrani had said to the ED. In a statement recorded on February 17, 2018, Indrani had reportedly claimed that Karti had asked them (Mukherjeas) for a bribe of $1 million when they met in Delhi's Hyatt hotel. This statement now forms a part of court documents.

A day after former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram was arrested and shooed away to the CBI headquarters, his son and MP Karti Chidambaram landed in Delhi to protest against his father's arrest and strategise the legal fight ahead. 

Before leaving for Delhi, he blamed the BJP government for his father's arrest. "The government is of the BJP. Who else (would have done that)?", said Karti while speaking to media just before leaving for Delhi. 

Upon landing in Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport, the MP son of P. Chidambaram once again targeted the CBI and announced his plans to protest at jantar mantar against his father's arrest. 

"This is not merely targeting of my father but the targeting of Congress party. I will go to Jantar Mantar to protest", said Karti.

Meanwhile, DMK chief MK Stalin too backed Chidambaram. His party is holding a protest today in Delhi against the abrogation of Article 370 of constitution. But now, they are also expected to protest against the arrest of the former finance minister who also hails from Tamilnadu.

Stalin too called the arrest a 'political vendetta' but expressed hope that Chidambaram will face the case legally, "Chidambaram is a legal expert. He will for sure face the case legally." 

Meanwhile other traditional allies of the Congress have been muted in their support for Chidambaram.

The former finance minister is accused of granting a FIPB clearance for foreign direct investment (FDI) to INX Media when he was the finance minister during UPA, in exchange of alleged bribes paid to his son Karti Chidambaram. IANS