Delhi HC relaxes Karti’ bail condition in INX Media corruption case

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday modified the bail conditions imposed on Congress leader Karti Chidambaram, who is facing prosecution in the INX Media corruption case. Justice Ravinder Dudeja eased the bail condition, which directed Karti to seek the trial court's permission before travelling outside India. Now Karti is required to give prior intimation to the trial court and the investigating agency two weeks before his travel abroad. The high court, which asked Karti to share his full travel itinerary, also directed the Congress leader to regularly attend the trial court proceedings and not make any attempt to prolong the trial unnecessarily.

The high court said it found merit in Karti's application and allowed it. The CBI had opposed the application, citing the case of fugitive businessman and former Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Mallya. However, Karti's counsel submitted that he was an MP and not a flight risk.

Karti was represented by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra and lawyers Arshdeep Singh and Akshat Gupta.

The high court in March 2018 granted bail to Karti in the INX media corruption case, subject to him seeking the trial court's permission before travelling outside India.

The CBI registered its case on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during P Chidambaram’s tenure as the Union finance minister.

Thereafter, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) followed suit by lodging a money laundering case.

A trial court in 2018 declared beleaguered businessman Mallya a proclaimed offender for evading summons in a FERA violation case. It earlier issued 'open-ended non-bailable warrants' against him.