Karti leaves for London while under CBI scanner, father P Chidambaram says he'll return soon

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti leaves for London while under the CBI's radar for an alleged case of bribery and corruption.

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Karti leaves for London while under CBI scanner, father P Chidambaram says he'll return soon

In Short

  • Karti Chidambaram left for London on Thursday.
  • Karti Chidambaram and his father senior Congress leader P Chidambaram are under CBI scanner in alleged case of bribery.
  • Defending his son, P Chidambaram said, there is no ban on his Karti's travel.

Former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram who is under CBI scanner for an alleged case of bribery and corruption, on Thursday left for London.

"Karti is travelling as per earlier travel plans. He will return after a few days. There is no ban on his travel," his father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched an investigation against both father and son related to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearances given to INX Media.

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The CBI, on Tuesday had carried out searches at Karti's homes and offices in four cities to probe charges that he had received money from a media firm owned by Indrani and Peter Mukerjea to help them evade a tax probe.

POLITICAL VENDETTA: CHIDAMBARAM

Slamming the government, the senior Congress leader said, "The government, using CBI and other agencies, is targeting my son and his friends. The government's aim is to silence my voice and stop me from writing, as it has tried to do in the cases of leaders of opposition parties, journalists, columnists, NGOs and civil society organizations. All I will say is, I shall continue to speak and write."

Whereas, Karti Chidambaram has maintained that he will come out clean as there was nothing to hide. He said he had cooperated with probe agencies and has paid all his taxes.

"The case against me has been foisted purely out of political reasons and vendetta. Nothing can be proven against me and I have not done any crime. It has been done mainly to muzzle my father's voice against the government," he said.

CBI FILES FIR

The CBI had filed an FIR against Karti and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.

It alleged that Karti received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board conditions for an investment from Mauritius.

With inputs from PTI

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