Supreme Court orders Karti Chidambaram to appear before CBI in corruption case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, to appear before investigators at the CBI headquarters here on 23 August for questioning in a corruption case. A bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud allowed Karti to be accompanied by a lawyer at the CBI headquarters during the questioning. “During the course of hearing, the counsel for respondent number 1 (Karti) states that the respondent is ready and willing to appear before the investigating officer. We, therefore, hereby direct respondent number 1 to appear before the investigating officer on 23 August at CBI headquarters in New Delhi,” the bench said. It gave CBI the liberty to question him for as many days as it wants till 28 August, the next date of hearing. It also asked Karti to carry all necessary documents required to defend himself against the allegations made by the CBI in the FIR. [caption id=“attachment_3892759” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Karti Chidambaram. News18[/caption] The bench, however, clarified that the accompanying lawyer would sit in an adjoining room to the place where Karti will be quizzed by CBI investigators. The bench has now posted the matter for consideration on 28 August and asked both parties to file their respective reports with regard to the investigation and other aspects of the case. The apex court had on 14 August said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case. The apex court, which stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the look out circular issued by the Centre against Karti, had sought to know when he would make his appearance for questioning before CBI. The case lodged by CBI in Delhi is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of almost Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti’s father was the Union finance minister. The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was “fallacious”. The FIR was registered on 15 May before the special CBI judge and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on 16 May. The Madras High Court had on 10 August stayed the look out circulars issued against Karti and four others by the Centre under the Passport Act over the corruption case filed by the CBI. The order had come on petitions filed by Karti and others seeking to quash the circulars, issued against Karti on 16 June, 2016 and against the four others on 18 July, 2017.