Delhi Court Allows Congress Leader Karti Chidambaram To Travel Abroad

A Delhi court has allowed Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram, accused in four cases lodged by the CBI and the ED, to travel to Monaco, Spain and the UK for two weeks in April to attend a tennis tournament.

Special Judge M K Nagpal permitted Mr Chidambaram to travel to the European countries from April 9 to April 22, saying he has complied with conditions imposed on him every time he was allowed to travel abroad.

The four cases include two corruption cases related to the alleged Aircel Maxis scam and INX Media scam lodged by the CBI and two related money laundering cases registered by the ED.

Mr Chidambaram had told the court a tournament is going to be organised in Monaco and, in his capacity as a Director of the company named Totus Tennis Ltd, which is a co-organiser of the event, he was required to be present there. He said he also has to attend certain meetings there.

Mr Chidambaram said he has to travel thereafter to Spain for a sports conference. Besides, he said, he intended to travel to the UK to visit his daughter and attend to some business activities since his company Totus Tennis Ltd is incorporated there.

"It cannot be ignored that on each and every occasion when he was permitted to travel abroad by the Supreme Court and by the trial court, he returned back to the country in time and kept all the other conditions and there are no allegations that he attempted to influence the witnesses or to destroy the evidence of these cases in any manner..." the court said in an order passed on April 3.

The application was also supported by relevant documents justifying his proposed travel to these countries, the judge noted.

The court said since the next date of hearing in these cases is April 29, 2023, the proceedings are not going to be affected by his travel.

"Therefore, in view of the above facts and circumstances, this application moved by the accused Karti P Chidambaram is being allowed and he is permitted to travel abroad to Monaco, Spain and UK from April 9 to April 22, 2023. His original passport is also directed to be released to him for the above said visit," the judge said.

The court also imposed various conditions on him, including that he shall furnish before this court a security deposit of Rs 1 crore by way of FDR/bank draft and to give his travel itinerary to the CBI as well as the ED.

The court also directed him not to open or close any bank account overseas and not to enter into any kind of property transactions while travelling abroad.

"He shall not make any attempt to tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses of this case in any manner and shall not use the permission granted to him contrary to the rules," the judge said.

The court said if he defaults in returning to India in time or fails to comply with other conditions in the order, the security deposit furnished by him shall be liable to be forfeited.

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