Karti Chidambaram Can Travel Abroad, Supreme Court Rejects ED Objections

New Delhi, Sep 18: The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel abroad, rejecting objections raised by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with Aircel-Maxis case. The apex court allowed Karti Chidambaram to go abroad between September 20 and 30.

Karti filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking its nod to travel to the United Kingdom. On Monday, the ED opposed Karti's plea and said he has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted by court in allowing him to travel abroad and has been using the same to protract the investigation in the case. Karti is also facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis and INX Media. Aircel-Maxis Case: ED Moves Court to Cancel Interim Relief from Arrest Granted to Karti Chidambaram.

Arguing that Karti's foreign visits are delying investigations, the ED said the liberty granted to him by the apex court is "blatantly and brazenly hampering, subverting, jeopardising and protracting" the investigation pending against him in the Aircel Maxis Case, which the agency has to complete in six months.

"The Petitioner/applicant (Karti) during this period of 6 months has remained unavailable for investigation for a total number of 51 days due to his foreign visits," the ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said in its response.

The apex court had on July 23 allowed Karti to visit the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America from July 23 to 31, making it clear that he has to abide by the conditions imposed by it in an earlier similar order. He was asked not to open or close any bank account abroad.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2018 12:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).