The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Karti Chidambaram to approach the Delhi High Court for relief in a money laundering case. The son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who is currently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation for allegedly violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act in the INX Media case, had sought protection from being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
The Supreme Court asked the Delhi High Court to set up an appropriate bench to deal with the matter by Saturday, reported ANI. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the court’s decision, and said such an order could send a wrong signal to all those who face money laundering cases, reported The Times of India.
Karti Chidambaram had filed a writ petition, challenging the Enforcement Directorate’s summons and claiming that the agency did not have the jurisdiction to issue notices based on a First Information Report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected his plea saying that it may hamper the trial.
The CBI’s case against Karti Chidambaram relates to alleged irregularities in getting approvals from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board for foreign direct investment in INX Media in 2007. The Enforcement Directorate’s investigation, on the other hand, pertains to alleged “proceeds of crime” and money laundering.
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