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.

Khullar was then additional secretary in Economic Affairs Department and was earlier OSD to Chidambaram. Pujari was Joint Secretary and Saxena was Director in Finance Ministry. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) already approved CBI's sanction for prosecution and the files are currently in Finance Ministry now.

CBI is expected to file chargesheet soon in the fast track court meant for MPs and MLAs as the two accused Chidamabram and Karti are Parliamentarians. CBI has already arrested Karti in February 2017 and attached his Rs. 55 crore worth properties in Delhi, Ooty, Cambridge and Spain.

The Delhi High Court has already reserved its orders on the anticipatory bail granted to Chidambaram and CBI's request to cancel it seeking custodial interrogation of the former Finance Minister.