Patiala House court adjourns hearing in Pardon plea of Indrani Mukerjea till Feb 14

The Patiala House Court on Thursday adjourned till February 14 hearing on an application filed by Indrani Mukerjea seeking pardon as an accused in the INX Media case. Indrani Mukerjea, the former head of INX Media, had filed the plea as she was ready to turn an approver.

The hearing took place via video conference as Indrani Mukerjea is lodged at Mumbai's Byculla jail since her arrest in 2015 for her alleged involvement in her daughter Sheena Bora's murder. Last year, Indrani gave her confessional statement in a Delhi court in connection with the INX Media case and later sent a letter stating to become an approver in the matter. Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and son Karti are accused in the INX Media case.

On February 3, the Union Law Ministry granted sanction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute Chidambaram in connection with the matter, according to Law Ministry sources. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the role of Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case for giving a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the group in 2007.

The ED probe so far showed that for the FIPB approval, INX Media directors Peter Mukerjea and Indrani Mukerjea met the senior Congress leader so that there was no delay in their application. The probe agency has attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti, and a firm in the case. It has also attached properties belonging to the Mukerjeas in regard to the same case. 

(With inputs from agencies.)