New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Friday reserved its order on Karti Chidamabaram’s bail plea in connection with the INX Media case.
The matter was listed before Justice S.P Garg.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Karti Chidambaram, stated that the Delhi Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court had erred in refusing to consider his bail plea and that a ‘fresh reason’ was warranted to sent him to judicial custody after CBI custody.
Singhvi sought bail for Karti Chidambaram on the ground that there was no risk of flight, threat of evidence being tampered or non-cooperation.
Kapil Sibal, also appearing for Karti Chidambaram, argued that the case being made out against his client under the Prevention of Corruption Act could not be sustained as no public servant allegedly influenced by Karti Chidambaram to grant Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearances to INX Media, had been interrogated by the CBI yet.
“No public servant is involved. Who is the FIPB official? There is no ground to proceed,” Sibal argued.
He further submitted that Karti Chidambaram had been cooperating with the CBI investigations and had also complied with two summons that were issued in August 2017.
Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, produced the ‘case dairy’ record in INX Media case in a sealed envelope to show the court that the investigating agency had unearthed certain ‘strong incriminating material’ against Karti Chidambaram and his release at this stage would risk compromising evidence in the case.
After spending 12 days in CBI custody, Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P. Chidambaram, was sent to judicial custody to Tihar Jail on 12 March by a Delhi CBI court.
Karti Chidambaram was arrested by CBI from the Chennai Airport on 28 February.
Karti Chidambaram is accused of having received Rs10 lakh in 2007 to clear foreign investment of Rs305 crore for INX Media, which was owned by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, at a time when P. Chidambaram was finance minister under the first United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
INX Media is being probed by both CBI and Enforcement Directorate over the allegations that Karti Chidambaram had received kickbacks from the media house.