The CBI today moved the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court order granting bail to Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in the INX Media case.

The CBI has claimed in its appeal that it was impermissible in law for the high court to entertain Karti's bail plea when an application seeking a similar relief was pending before the trial court.

The agency has also alleged that the high court had erroneously conducted a detailed examination of evidence on merits at the stage of bail which has seriously prejudiced the case of CBI.

A single judge bench of the high court had on March 23 granted bail to Karti, who was arrested on February 28 by the CBI, saying the relief should not be refused unless the crime was of the highest magnitude entailing severe punishment.

Karti was arrested from Chennai in connection with an FIR lodged on May 15 last year, which had alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media for receiving funds of about 305 crore from overseas in 2007 when his father P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.

The CBI had initially alleged that Karti received 10 lakh rupees as bribe for facilitating the FIPB clearance to INX Media.

It had later revised the figure to 1 million US Dollars.

Both Chidambaram and Karti have denied all allegations made by CBI, as well as the Enforcement Directorate.