SC allows Karti Chidambaram to travel abroad

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to visit the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America from July 23 to 31, making it clear that he has to abide by the conditions imposed by it in an earlier similar order.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra considered the submissions of senior advocate A M Singhvi, representing Karti, that he was planning to visit offshore destinations for personal reasons, and granted him the liberty with certain conditions.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said Karti, who is facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis, INX media and money laundering matters, will have to surrender his passport with the Enforcement Directorate when he returns from his visit.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the conditions imposed by the court in its earlier orders should be allowed to remain in force.

The plea was allowed by the court. Earlier, the court had allowed Karti to travel abroad with certain conditions, including that he would not open or close any bank account abroad.

Karti, being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI in several cases, including the one relating to FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore when his father was the finance minister, was earlier, too, allowed to go abroad.

The bench had asked Karti to file an undertaking about his flight schedule and return date to India. It had also directed Karti to return his passport to the probe agency when he returned.