SC allows Karti Chidambaram to go abroad

The Supreme Court on Monday permitted Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, to visit the United Kingdom for the admission of his daughter to Cambridge University.

Karti Chidambaram had sought the court's permission to visit Cambridge on December 1, assuring that he will come back on December 10.

The apex court directed Karti Chidambaram to file an undertaking within three days on his flight details and that he will come back by December 10.

"Needless to say, if the undertaking is not complied with, the first respondent (Karti Chidambram) shall face such consequences as may be deemed fit and proper," a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said.

The court also said that upon his return to India, "he shall file an affidavit with regard to grant or non-grant of admission" before this the apex court.

Earlier, as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation, sought to put Karti Chidambram under strict conditions for his visit abroad, senior counsel Kapil Sibal pointed out that his client (Karti) had returned voluntarily the last time he went abroad and was not a common criminal.

Mehta said it was their experience that whoever did not return after getting permission to go abroad was not a common criminal.

The court order came after the CBI, investigating his alleged role in facilitating the 2007 Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance for INX Media Ltd when his father was the Union Finance Minister, put up certain conditions to be imposed if the court permitted Karti to go abroad.

Pointing out that the Monday's order on permission to travel abroad was passed after the CBI's consent, the court said it will in no way "reflect upon the legality or otherwise of the lookout circular" and without prejudice to the contentions to be advanced by both the parties when the case is heard.

The court said the order should not be cited before any court of law to "further any kind of cause that will hinder the investigation or anything else".

The court directed for further hearing in the third week of January 2018.

--IANS

pk/tsb/vm