INX case: Why Indrani Mukerjea was pardoned from CBI chargesheet
The chargesheet was filed on Friday when the SC reserved its order against Chidambaram.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Friday, charged former finance minister P Chidambaram for misusing his position in facilitating an FDI proposal of INX group companies.
However, Indrani Mukerjea, former promoter of INX media and accused-turned approver in the case, was spared the charges on grounds of being pardoned by a Delhi Court, CNBC TV18 reported.
According to the CBI, Indrani has not been included in the chargesheet as an accused since her application for becoming approver and grant of pardon has been accepted by the court on 11/07/2019.
The chargesheet has names of 14 accused people including former minister P Chidambaram and son Karti.
Besides the father-son duo, the chargesheet has named S Bhaskararaman, Karti's chartered accountant and Peter Mukerjea, the then director of INX media.
The other accused named in the chargesheet are Sindhushree Khullar, the then Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance (MoF); INX Media Pvt Ltd, presently 9X Media Pvt Ltd; INX News Pvt Ltd, presently Direct News; Chess Management Services Pvt Ltd; Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd (ASCPL); Ajeet Kumar Dungdung, the then section officer of FIPB unit (MoF); Rabindra Prasad, the then under secretary of FIPB unit; Pradeep Kumar Bagga, the then OSD, DEA; Prabodh Saxena, Director of FIPB Unit and Anup K Pujari, the then Joint Secretary (Foreign Trade) in the DEA.
The chargesheet was filed on Friday when the Supreme Court reserved its order against Chidambaram who has spent two months in jail since his arrest on August 21, denying him bail.
The chargesheet was filed before Special Judge Lal Singh on Friday. The matter will be further followed up on October 21 by special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar.
The report was filed under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), read with 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of IPC and various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, including section 9 (taking gratification, for exercise of personal influence with public servant).
The maximum punishment for these offences is 7 years.
Chidambaram is currently being scrutinised by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a related money laundering matter.