Chidambaram's wife, son appear before court over black money plaint

Former Union minister P Chidambaram's wife, son and daughter-in-law on Monday appeared before a special court in Chennai for economic offence cases in connection with a prosecution initiated against them by the Income Tax Department, under the Black Money Act.

The court had earlier issued summons to Nalini Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram and his wife Srinidhi on the basis of a complaint filed by the Income Tax Department.

The trio appeared before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S Malarvizhi and filed pleas seeking to dispense with their appearance.

The court directed the prosecution to file a reply and adjourned the matter to July 23.

A large number of police personnel was posted in the court complex.

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Congress workers shouted slogans in the court complex against the Centre for "foisting" the case against them.

Tax authorities had filed a complaint against the trio over alleged non-disclosure of overseas assets, which is an offence under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act.

According to the tax department, the trio failed to disclose a property they jointly own at Cambridge in the UK, worth Rs 5.37 crore.

Apart from this, the department has alleged that Karti had failed to disclose an overseas bank account he holds with Metro Bank in the UK and the investments made by him in Nano Holdings LLC, USA.

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In addition to this, Karti also failed to disclose investments made by Chess Global Advisory, a company co-owned by him, which amounts to an offence under the Black Money Act, the department said in its complaint.