The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Karti Chidambaram, the son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, to visit United Kingdom from December 1 to 10 this year for admission of his daughter in Cambridge University.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agreed to allow Karti go abroad despite the fact that the case against him is pending investigation. The CBI has alleged that a company INX Media paid bribe to a firm linked to Karti for his role in getting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance during the tenure of P Chidambaram as Finance Minister.
On CBI’s apprehension that Karti is likely to tamper with his foreign bank accounts that are part of case investigation, the Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud directed Karti to furnish an undertaking to return by December 10 and share flight details in this regard.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta pointed to the possibility of Karti’s non-return stating that all such persons who have failed to return are not common men. The Bench said, “If the undertaking is not complied with, the respondent (Karti) shall face such consequences as may be deemed fit and proper.” The bench hinted that Karti will be liable to face contempt proceedings.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal who appeared for Karti dismissed the apprehensions of CBI and said that he returned to the country and cooperated with investigations against him by allowing the agency to interrogate him on two occasions. He said that the pressing issue of concern was of his client’s daughter to be admitted at Selwyn College, Cambridge.
The bench directed Karti that upon his return from UK he shall submit proof of grant or non-grant of admission to the Court by way of an affidavit. Mehta further submitted to the Court that the agency is concerned that such an order by the Court allowing him to travel abroad can be used by the respondent (Karti) against the agency before any court in order to hamper investigation.
Blocking that possibility too, the bench added, “The present order is passed as an ad interim measure and without prejudice to the contentions to be advanced by both the parties when the main Special Leave Petitions are finally heard. Therefore, this order should not be cited in any court of law to further any kind of cause that will hinder the investigation or anything else.”
Sibal said there was no question of his client not returning as he assured that the undertaking to be given by Karti in three days will be honoured. The bench placed the matter in the third week of January to hear the validity of the Look Out Notice issued by CBI against Karti which restrains him from travelling abroad.