INX Media: CBI seeks nod to try four officials

CBI has sought sanction for prosecution against four former officers, including three IAS officers, working in the Finance Ministry in the INX Media case involving charges of bribery against former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and son Karti.

The officers found to be involved in conspiracy with Chidambaram in illegally approving the FIPB clearance in 2008 were former NITI Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar, former secretary of the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Anup K Pujari and current principal secretary in the Himachal Pradesh government, Prabodh Saxena and retired under secretary Rabindra Prasad.

These officers were then working at Economic Affairs Department and had illegally approved the FIPB clearance to INX Media. Karti is accused of accepting bribe of Rs.five crore from the TV channel promoters Indrani Mukerjea and Peter Mukerjea. Indrani has already become approver in the case, blaming Chidambaram for pressurising her to pay bribe to save her from the Income Tax prosecution.