SC allows Karti Chidambaram to travel abroad subject to certain conditions

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, to travel abroad subject to certain conditions.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud allowed Karti Chidambram's plea to travel to the UK, Germany and Spain from May 19 to 27 but said that "Karti shall not open or close any overseas bank account and not enter into any property transaction abroad".

Karti is facing probes by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation in several cases, including alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to then INX Media for FDI in 2007 and the Aircel-Maxis case in 2006 and a money laundering case.

Karti was also asked to furnish an undertaking before the court that he would follow the conditions and inform about his flight details and the date of return to India.

The court said Karti would cooperate in the investigation and hand over his passport to the Enforcement Directorate on his return.

The bench made it clear that the apex court's permission to allow Karti to travel abroad should not be used in any court of law for grant of statutory and regular bail in any other case.