Even before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) whiffed off the role of the Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram in the INX media money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had collected ample evidences in the case and had interrogated around 40 people between December last year and January this year before issuing summons to the main accused Karti Chidambaram.
The agency had also questioned senior journalist Vir Sanghvi and had recorded his statement in the INX media case wherein refuted the allegations facilitating the meeting between Karti Chidambaram and INX media owner Indrani and Peter Mukerjea, who are in jail for the murder of their daughter Sheena Bora.
Sanghvi who was interrogated in the case stated that Peter Mukerjea does not need an introduction to P Chidambaram as he was well known to most of the leaders. While speaking to DNA, Sanghvi said, "ED summoned many people, around 40 executive and investors who were associated with INX media in December and January. I was one of them. It was a routine investigation and it does not cover Karti Chidambaram case as I left INX in January 2008."
Sanghvi alleged that Peter has hired a liaison point man in Delhi and his is Rohit Bal Vora. "It was Vora who introduced them (Indrani and Peter) to PC Chidambaram," he alleged.
He further stated that it was routine inquiry and ED spoke to everybody who had any connection with INX media, be it investors, suppliers, executives. "I was not employee of INX media. I was employee of INX News which was sister company. They (ED) asked me to get evidence because in January 2008, I had left INX media and had made an complaint to Information and Broadcast ministry telling there were financial irregularities," said Sanghvi adding that ED asked him about that complaint. He also said that CBI did not made an further enquiry into the complaint and the matter was put off.
As far as the allegation and the payment related to Karti Chidambaram, Sanghvi said that it relates to May 2008 and during that period he was no longer associated with the organisation. "And In fact I was not in talking terms with Peter and I had open battle with him," he said.
Refuting his role in the introduction of Indrani to then finance minister, he said, "I don't need to introduce Indrani or Peter to P Chidambaram. The meeting she is referring happened in to 2007. Peter already knew Chidambaram. "
In the meantime, the ED is now planning to take custody of Karti Chidambaram for questioning into the money laundering case.
