Karti arrest 'motivated': Counsel Singhvi

Terming the INX media case as one of the most bizarre one, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Counsel for Karti Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the arrest of the latter is 'motivated'.

Defending his client in the court, Singhvi said that Karti was not summoned for a single time in last six months and hence the allegations made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for non-cooperation is incorrect.

"The arrest is motivated. He hasn't been given a single summon in last 6 months and allegations made by CBI that he is not cooperating, when no summon has been issued after August 2017," he said.

He further argued that the Karti has no connection Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited, which allegedly received kickbacks.

Stressing on the issue, he further said that Karti did not escape from the country like others and the CBI arrested on the grounds of his return

"Karti Chidambaram has no connection with the Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited which allegedly received kickbacks and always co-operated with The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case," Singhvi said in the court.

"He is not a Hindustan "leaver" like others, he is a Hindustan returner. The CBI arrested him on the grounds of his return. Is this less than Ashwathama's half truth in Mahabharata?" he argued on behalf of Karti.

The CBI has earlier stated that Rs 10 lakh was given to Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited, a firm which was indirectly owned by Karti.

Meanwhile, earlier during the hearing, Indrani Mukerjea gave statement to the CBI that Karti asked for one Million dollars for FIPB clearance.

Earlier in the day, the CBI arrested Karti, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram from Chennai airport in connection with the same case.

It has been alleged that Karti illegally took service charges for getting the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the INX Media for receiving funds from abroad worth Rs 305 crore in 2007 when P Chidambaram was the finance minister in the Congress-led UPA Government.