Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court has permitted Congress leader Karti Chidambaram, an accused in the alleged Aircel-Maxis and INX Media scams, to travel to France and the UK from September 15 to 27.
Granting relief to the Sivaganga MP in the four cases related to the alleged scams, Special Judge MK Nagpal in the recent order said, the court’s directions will not come in the way of any further investigations underway.
The ED investigation started after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a complaint against P Chidambaram where it was contended that he ‘misused his official position’ when he was a Union minister, along with his son Karti, to grant approval to foreign direct investment (FDI) to INX Media and INX News Pvt Ltd in lieu of ‘illegal gratification’ in India through offshore payments.
The cases are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
In his plea, Chidambaram claimed that he was invited to attend “a reputed international tennis tournament called St. Tropez Open to be held in St. Tropez, France, from September 18 to 24, and he has also then to travel to London, UK, to meet his daughter, who is working and living there.”
It was submitted by the Congress leader that he was also required to attend some meetings and business activities in London as his company Totus Tennis Limited, which is a co-organiser of ATP tournaments, was incorporated in the UK.
Opposing the plea, the central agencies said Karti Chidambaram is not cooperating with the ongoing investigation on money laundary, adding that some fresh evidence has also surfaced to show that he has disposed of some shares of a company, beneficially owned or controlled by him, and has, thus, “destroyed the proceeds of crime”.
The documents enclosed with the applications do not justify the requirement of the physical presence of the applicant during the tournament in France, the proposed duration of his stay there, and the need or urgency for the applicant to visit his daughter in the UK, the agencies submitted.
The court directed the accused to furnish a security deposit of Rs 1 crore by way of FDR or bank draft and directed him to formalise his travel itinerary for the period and place it on record before leaving the country. It also asked for the details of the places or hotels where he would be staying and his contact numbers abroad.