INX media case: SC to hear Karti Chidambaram`s plea seeking permission to travel abroad

CBI had earlier opposed the plea, saying Karti might tamper with the evidence in the UK.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear a plea filed by former union finance minister P Chidambaram`s son, Karti Chidambaram, in connection with the INX Media case, seeking permission to travel abroad.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), earlier, had opposed the plea, saying Karti might tamper with the evidence in the UK, which is very crucial for the ongoing investigation.In the previous hearing, Karti`s lawyer Kapil Sibal told the apex court that the former was not a `fugitive of justice`.

The case was heard by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

It has been alleged that Karti illegally took service charges for getting the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the INX Media for receiving funds from abroad worth Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father P. Chidambaram was the finance minister in Congress-led UPA rule.

On September 1, the CBI had told the top court that there were "good, cogent" reasons for issuing the LoC against Karti.

On August 18, the court had asked Karti to appear before the investigating officer at the CBI headquarters here for questioning in the case.

Before this, the apex court had said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the case. The court had then stayed the high court order putting on hold the LoC against Karti.

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends the very next day. 

With Agency Inputs