INX media case: Karti approaches Delhi HC for interim relief from ED

Karti Chidambaram. (Express Photo: Ganesh Shirsekar)

Former Union minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court to seek interim relief from the Enforcement Directorate in the INX media case.

Karti’s move came after he approached the Supreme Court, challenging the summons and all the proceedings that have been initiated against him by the ED and terming it “unreasonable, without jurisdiction, without authority of law, in colourable exercise of power and vitiated by malafides”. The apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, directed Karti to approach the high court and allowed him to withdraw his interim plea which was pending with the apex court. On March 6, the top court had refused to grant interim protection to the former finance minister’s son.

The bench also requested the acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court to allocate Karti’s matter to an appropriate bench so that it can be taken up for hearing on Friday.

The apex court had on February 23 refused to stay the summons issued by the ED against Karti, who is presently in CBI custody.

Karti was arrested on February 28 in Chennai immediately after he returned from abroad. The ED had registered a case against him and others in May last year. It had registered an ECIR, against the accused named in a CBI complaint. These included Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.

An FIR, filed on May 15 last year, had alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving Rs 305 crore in overseas funds in 2007 when P Chidambaram was Union finance minister.

(With PTI inputs)

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