INX Media case: Karti in CBI custody for 3 more days

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday gave the CBI three more days for custodial interrogation of Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P. Chidambaram, in the INX Media corruption case, while the Delhi high court granted him relief, restraining the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from arresting him in connection with its money laundering probe pertaining to the same case till March 20.

Although Karti got a breather in the money laundering case, special judge Sunil Rana remanded him in CBI custody for three days after the investigative agency claimed it had recovered certain fresh incriminating documents and CD from the Chennai office of Advantage Strategic Pvt Ltd, a company allegedly linked to Karti.

The trial court order came hours after a high court bench of Justices S. Muralidhar and I.S. Mehta granted Karti interim protection from arrest till March 20.

The high court asked the ED to satisfy it on the issue of its powers to arrest an accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on the next date of hearing. Karti was arrested by the CBI from Chennai Airport on February 28 in connection with the case. The trial court asked the CBI to produce Karti before it on March 12.

The outcome of Karti’s bail plea assumes significance as the high court said that if he is granted the relief by the special judge (trial court), ED will not take any coercive steps against him till March 20, when it will hear the matter. Making it clear that the trial court shall pass orders without getting influenced by the high court’s directions today, the bench said certain conditions be imposed on Karti like asking him to appear before the ED, as and when called by the investigating officer, and cooperate in the probe. He shall also be directed not to leave the country and surrender his passport, it said.

Additional solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, who is appearing for both the CBI and the ED in the case, told the trial court on Friday that Karti’s custodial interrogation by the CBI was needed to confront him with the recovery of fresh incriminating documents.