SC asks Karti to appear before court, prohibits him from travelling abroad
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed till Friday the Madras High Court order, staying Centre's lookout notice against Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, and others in an alleged corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and DY Chandrachud has also stayed Madras High Court’s order allowing Karti to travel abroad.
The bench, during the hearing, repeatedly observed that Karti had not joined the investigation in the case and, moreover, he has not sought grant of anticipatory bail in the matter. It has asked Karti to appear before the CBI for questioning and not travel abroad till the next hearing on Friday.
The case is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union finance minister.
The Supreme Court has also asked the Madras High Court to decide on Karti's plea, seeking to quash the FIR in consonance with law.
The Madras High Court had on August 10 stayed the 'lookout circulars' issued against Karti and four others by the Centre, holding that they were prima facie "unwarranted".
Besides Karti, his associates CBN Reddy, Ravi Viswanathan, Mohanan Rajesh and S Bhaskararaman had also got the interim relief.
The Foreigner Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) and the Bureau of Immigration, under the Union Home Ministry, had issued the circulars against Karti on June 16 last and against the four others on July 18.
An FIR, dated May 15, was registered before the special CBI judge in New Delhi. It was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.
