NEW DELHI: Sivaganga MP and Congress leader Karti Chidambaram opted not to pursue his anticipatory bail application before a Delhi court on Friday in connection with the Diageo bribery case. This decision followed assurances from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that there was no immediate plan to arrest him.
The court, in its ruling, disposed of the plea but mandated the CBI to provide Chidambaram with a three-day notice before any potential arrest.
“The application stands disposed of as not pressed,” stated the court. It further directed Chidambaram to fully cooperate with the investigation upon his return to India on January 12, 2025. The case revolves around alleged financial irregularities linked to whiskey importer Diageo Scotland and Sequoia Capital. The CBI accused Chidambaram of accepting bribes from Diageo to facilitate the lifting of a duty-free liquor sales ban in 2005, during his father P Chidambaram’s tenure as Union Finance Minister.
According to the CBI, USD 15,000 was funneled to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt. Ltd., a company allegedly controlled by Karti Chidambaram, under the guise of consultancy fees. The agency further highlighted suspicious transactions from 2008 to 2010.