SC seeks CBI's stand on Karti Chidambaram's plea to travel abroad

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned the INX media case involving former Union Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram till November 16.

The SC asked CBI to respond whether Karti Chidambaram could be allowed to travel abroad for 4-5 days and what can be the conditions imposed on him so that he does not escape. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud asked additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing CBI, to seek instruction on the issue and apprise it next Thursday.

Karti Chidambaram had moved the court as the government has issued a lookout circular against him - preventing him from travelling abroad - in connection with the INX Media case. During the hearing, the bench perused the documents supplied by CBI in a sealed cover relating to materials found during the investigation conducted so far. In the previous hearing, the SC rejected his plea seeking permission to travel abroad in connection with the INX Media case.

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. 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 government.