Karti seeks interim stay on case before special court

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and his wife on Monday approached the Madras High Court terming as "erroneous" transfer of a case against them from an Economic offences court to a special one trying criminal cases related to MPs and MLAs.

Karti Chitrambaram said he was not a lawmaker at the time of the alleged offence in 2015.

The petitioners also sought an interim stay on the case against them before the special court.

According to the petitioners, they are being prosecuted for offences under section 276C of the Income Tax Act and punishment for the said offence, if proved, is imprisonment of seven years.

The petitioners submitted it must be tried by an Assistant Sessions Judge (senior civil judge cadre), "that is by chief metropolitan magistrate.. the transfer of the case to Special Court Judge in the cadre of sessions judge is erroneous in law."