INX Media case probe: Karti, Indrani face off in Mumbai prison

The CBI on Sunday took former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti to Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai to face Indrani Mukerjea in the INX Media case.

Karti, who is in CBI custody since Thursday, was flown to Mumbai by a team of six CBI officials and immediately taken to Byculla prison where Indrani, the former promoter of INX Media, is lodged in connection with the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora.

Karti was arrested on February 28 on charges of accepting money from Indrani and her husband Peter Mukerjea, who is also lodged in Arthur Road Jail in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case, for facilitating government approval for allowing FDI in their company.

Sources said Karti, Indrani came face-to-face in a room in the jail.

While Karti denied the charges, Indrani is learnt to have repeated the claims she made in a statement recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC, which is admissible as evidence in court. Indrani had said that she met Chidambaram, who requested them to help his son's business.

She also referred to the meeting she and Peter had with Karti in Hotel Hyatt where Karti demanded $1 million. Sources said Indrani claimed that INX Media entered into an agreement with Chess Management Services Pvt Ltd and payments were made to Advantage Strategic Consultancy Pvt Ltd (ASCPL).

Karti was also confronted with receipts seized from raids at ASCPL office, which indicated a payment of Rs 10 lakh. Sources said Karti claimed he was not involved in the functioning of this firm.