New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday allowed Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, who is facing criminal cases which are being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), to travel abroad till November 21.
A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar said that he shall abide by the terms specified by the apex court earlier on February 22 and would deposit Rs one crore.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the concerned official has sworn in an affidavit indicating that Karti Chidambaram has not co-operated during the investigation of the cases and has not appropriately responded to the summons issued to him on June 30, 2021 .
The bench said the affidavit, as referred to by the solicitor general, be filed and the applicant may respond to it before the next date of hearing.
The bench in its order said That aspect can be dealt with in detail after the affidavit is actually filed and responded to by the applicant. For the time being, we permit the applicant to go abroad as per his plan for the period between October 25, 2021, to November 21, 2021, as prayed.
The applicant shall abide by the usual terms specified on the earlier occasions and in terms of the order dated February 22, 2021, except the amount to be deposited stands reduced to Rs one crore, as prayed by the applicant, said the bench which has hearing an application filed by Karti Chidambaram.
It said the application would be taken up on November 22 for considering the remaining part of the prayer clause.
On February 22, the top court had allowed Chidambaram to travel abroad between March 1 to June 23.
It had asked him to deposit Rs two crore with the registry and imposed conditions, including that he would file an undertaking before the court within indicating his flight details and the date of arrival in India.
The Congress leader is facing several criminal cases related to the Aircel-Maxis deal and the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to the INX Media for allegedly receiving foreign funds of Rs 305 crore when his father, P Chidambaram, was the Union finance minister. The cases are being probed by the ED and the CBI.
Karti and his father have denied all the allegations.