A Delhi court on Monday permitted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate documents it has recently received from Swiss authorities in the INX Media case involving former finance minister P Chidambaram and others.
Special CBI Judge MK Nagpal while permitting CBI to retain the said evidence or documents for the purposes of further investigation, also permitted the investigating agency to prepare a working copy of the data stored in the data carrier in encrypted form, as contained in the said packet, so that it can be used for day-to-day further investigation of the case.
Last week, CBI had approached the court and sought permission for retention of certain documents received from the Swiss authorities in the execution of Letter Rogatory (LR) issued by the court which is pending on record.
Counsel for CBI submitted in the application that during the course of the investigation of the case, one LR to the competent authorities of Switzerland was issued by this court on July 13, 2018, on the request of CBI seeking mutual legal assistance in the matter of investigation in Switzerland.
It is also submitted that the above LR stands already executed by the concerned authorities of Switzerland and the Federal Prosecutor's Office (Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland). Federal Office of Justice ZIB has executed the said LR and has furnished the evidence or documents collected by them during the course of execution of the said LR, through the Embassy of India.
Court also noted that a sealed envelope containing the said evidence or documents has also been produced before the court today with a request for retention of the said evidence or documents and for preparation of a working copy of the said data stored therein for its utilization by the CBI for day to day investigation.
Court noted that a charge-sheet against 14 accused persons under Section 120-B IPC (Indian Penal Code) read with Sections 420, 468, 471 IPC and under Sections 9 and 13 (1) (d) and 13 (2) of the PC Act, 1988 and substantive offenses stand already filed before the court on 18.10.2019 and cognisance for offences stands already taken by this court on 21.10.2019.
In August 2019, the CBI had arrested former finance minister P Chidambaram. Subsequently it had filed a chargesheet against Chidambaram and 13 others.
The INX Media case is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to media group INX Media receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 307 crore during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
( With inputs from ANI )
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