SC allows Karti Chidambaram to travel abroad, with strict warning

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of former Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel abroad but ordered him to deposit Rs 10 crore before his travel.

The apex court also said that it will be forced to take steps if Karti, an accused in the Aircel-Maxis deal, does not cooperate with the investigating agencies probing the case.

Karti has been ordered to deposit Rs. 10 crore with the court if he wanted to go abroad. "You can go wherever you want to, you can do whatever you want, but don't play around law. If there is an iota of non-cooperation, we will come down heavily," Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said.

The top court also slammed Karti Chidambaram saying that so far he has not cooperated in the investigation and warned him that not an inch of non-cooperation would help.

The 46-year-old son of former finance minister has been ordered to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on March 5, 6, 7 and 12 for his alleged his role in the Aircel-Maxis deal and INX Media case.

The apex court on Monday asked the ED, which handles financial crimes, to inform it by Wednesday about the dates the agency wants to question him.

The ED probe so far alleges that for the FIPB approval, Karti asked for a bribe to use the influence of his father, who was then the finance minister, to regularise investments in television company, INX media group, that Indrani and husband Peter Mukerjea had founded in 2007.

The ED has attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti Chidambaram and a firm in connection with the case. It has also attached properties belonging to the Mukerjeas.