SC directs Karti Chidambaram to appear before CBI on Aug 23

The Supreme Court on Friday directed Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, to appear before investigators at the Central Bureua of Investigation headquarters in New Delhi on August 23 for questioning in a corruption case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed Karti to be accompanied by a lawyer at the CBI headquarters during the questioning.

"During the course of hearing, the counsel for respondent number 1 (Karti) states that the respondent is ready and willing to appear before the investigating officer.

"We, therefore, hereby direct respondent number 1 to appear before the investigating officer on August 23 at CBI headquarters in New Delhi," the bench said.

It gave CBI the liberty to question him for as many days as it wants till August 28, the next date of hearing.

It also asked Karti to carry all necessary documents required to defend himself against the allegations made by the CBI in the FIR.

The bench, however, clarified that the accompanying lawyer would sit in an adjoining room to the place where Karti will be quizzed by CBI investigators.

The bench has now posted the matter for consideration on August 28 and asked both parties to file their respective reports with regard to the investigation and other aspects of the case.

The apex court had on August 14 said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case.

The apex court, which stayed the Madras high court order putting on hold the look out circular issued by the Centre against Karti, had sought to know when he would make his appearance for questioning before the CBI.

The case lodged by the CBI in Delhi is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of almost Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union finance minister.

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge in New Delhi and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.

The Madras high court had on August 10 stayed the look out circulars issued against Karti and four others by the Centre under the Passport Act over the corruption case filed by the CBI.

The order had come on petitions filed by Karti and others seeking to quash the circulars, issued against Karti on June 16 last year and against the four others on July 18 this year.