Karti Chidambaram sent to Tihar jail till March 24; asks for separate cell, security

Karti Chidambaram was sent to judicial custody till March 24 in the INX Media corruption case after the CBI said he was not needed for interrogation. Delhi court special judge Sunil Rana also dismissed his plea for an early bail hearing. Now his bail plea will be heard on March 15. The court also declined his request for a separate cell in Tihar jail, and protection inside the jail premises. The court said the authorities would follow the jail manual in this regard, also denying his request for home food in the jail.

Karti argued that his father was once the home minister and handled terror cases. He also invoked the death of biscuit baron Rajan Pillai in 1995 and said that he did not want to be exposed to attacks. "Something may happen to me," he added.

Meanwhile, Karti's CA, S Bhaskararaman, has moved the court for anticipatory bail in the same case. Bhaskararaman is currently in jail due to a case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who has already served 12 days since February 28 in police custody, was produced before a special judge on expiry of his three-day police custody. P Chidambaram was also present in the courtroom.           
 
Karti was arrested on his return from the United Kingdom in connection with the FIR lodged on May 15 last year. It alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds of about Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father was Union Finance Minister. The CBI had initially alleged that Karti Chidambaram received Rs 10 lakh as bribe for facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media. It, however, later revised the figure to USD 1 million (about Rs 6.50 crore at the current exchange rate and Rs 4.50 crore in 2007).
 
The fresh evidence in the case, which triggered Karti Chidambaram's arrest, was based on the statement of Indrani Mukerjea, former director of INX Media (P) Ltd, who recorded it under section 164 of the CrPC before a magistrate on February 17.

(With PTI inputs)