NEW DELHI: The CBI on Friday justified before the Supreme Court its reason for issuing a Look Out Circular against Karti Chidambaram, stating that he was allegedly closing several undisclosed foreign bank accounts and transferring money from them during his foreign visits.
The CBI statement contradicts what Karti, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, told the investigating agency — that he had just one account abroad. The CBI has also alleged that Karti took service charges for getting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance when his father was the Finance Minister. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the CBI, said: “During the interrogation of Karti, shocking details have emerged with regard to his foreign visits, which is directly related to the case lodged against him.”
“What he did abroad is part of the sealed cover,” the ASG told the three-judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud. The next hearing is on October 4. This means Karti cannot travel abroad till then as the Look Out Circular is still valid.
Why afraid?
When Sibal said Karti had gone abroad to get his daughter admitted in Cambridge University, the ASG asked, “Why are you so afraid if you did only this?”