INX Media case: SC refuses interim relief to Karti Chidambaram, issues notice to ED

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to grant anticipatory bail to Karti Chidambaram in connection with the alleged INX Media bribery case. 

In a major setback to the Karti, son of former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, the apex court issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate on the PMLA case registered against him.

Deferring the case for further hearing on March 9, the top court declared that it will not provide any interim protection from arrest by the ED in the alleged money laundering case.

On Monday, Karti had moved to the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of summons issued by the ED. He was taken to the Byculla Central Jail on Sunday for questioning in the bribery case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who is probing the case.

Upon reaching the Byculla Central jail, Karti was made to face Indrani and Peter Mukerjea - the ex-directors of INX Media Ltd. Indrani Mukerjea had recently admitted before a magistrate that Karti had met her in a Delhi hotel and demanded USD 1 million in bribe for the FIPB clearance.

While being taken back to Delhi from Mumbai, Karti Chidambaram had, however, said that all allegations levelled against him are ''baseless and politically motivated.''

Karti is accused of allegedly receiving Rs 3.5 crore from the Mumbai-based INX Media, now known as 9X Media, for helping it get Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance in 2007 when it was run by Peter and Indrani - both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

On March 1, the Patiala House Court in Delhi had sent the junior Chidambaram to CBI custody for five days following which he was questioned for nearly seven hours by the CBI.

In a dramatic development in the INX Media case, Karti was arrested by the CBI from Chennai airport on February 28 on his return from abroad.

After his arrest in Chennai, CBI officials took him to Delhi by the afternoon. He was taken to the CBI headquarters and then produced before a Duty Magistrate.

The arrest of Karti came nine months after the CBI registered an FIR against him on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, accepting gratification by corrupt or illegal means, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.