New Delhi [India], October 15 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday eased the travel restrictions imposed on Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media case, permitting him to travel abroad without seeking prior permission from the trial court for each trip.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, while modifying the earlier bail conditions, directed that Chidambaram must now share his detailed travel itinerary with the investigating authorities at least two weeks in advance of each journey.
The INX Media case is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to media group INX Media, which had received overseas funds to the tune of Rs 307 crore during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
The case pertains to the alleged INX Media scam, in which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the FIPB approval granted to the company for foreign investment of Rs 305 crore in 2007, when P. Chidambaram, Karti's father, was serving as the Union Finance Minister.
Karti Chidambaram, who was granted bail by the High Court in March 2018, had been required to obtain prior permission from the trial court before travelling abroad. In his recent plea, he argued that he is a frequent international traveller and has regularly complied with all court directions in the past. He sought a relaxation of the condition with respect to countries he often visits, including the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and the United States.
The CBI opposed the plea, maintaining that the travel restriction should continue to remain in force.
Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, assisted by advocates Arshdeep Singh Khurana and Akshat Gupta, represented Karti Chidambaram.
The CBI was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Anupam S. Sharma, along with advocates Harpreet Kabi, Vashist Rao, Ripudaman Sharma, Vishesh Jain, Syamantak Mudgil, Anant Prakash Mishra, and Riya Sachdeva.