On Wednesday the Supreme Court permitted former finance minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram to travel abroad. Karti is an accused in the Aircel-Maxis case.
Karti Chidambaram had sought the Supreme Court's permission to travel to the UK, Spain, Germany and France in February and March for a tennis tournament.
The top court has directed Karti Chidambaram to be present before the Enforcement Directorate on March 5, 6, 7 and 12 for questioning. He also has to deposit Rs. 10 crore with the Supreme Court as a condition for traveling abroad.
The Supreme Court warned him that the court will be "forced to take steps" if he does not cooperate with the probe agencies, investigating the Aircel-Maxis case.
“You can go wherever you want to, you can do whatever you want but don't play around with the law. If there is an iota of non-cooperation, we will come down heavily,” Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told Karti Chidambarama
During the earlier hearing last week, the top court had asked the Enforcement Directorate to specify the dates on which Karti would be required to appear for questioning in the Aircel Maxis case.The probe agency had opposed his plea to travel abroad, alleging that he has been "evasive and non-cooperative".
The ED had told that court that the Aircel Maxis probe is getting "delayed" because of Karti Chidambaram's frequent foreign travels.
On January 16, the Supreme Court refused to give an urgent hearing to Karti Chidambaram who was seeking permission to travel abroad.
Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said during the hearing that “we are not interested. We have better things to do; we will see what can be done”.
In July last year, the Supreme Court allowed him to travel to the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America for about a week.
When he returned to the Supreme Court for permission to travel abroad again in November, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had said “Don’t go… Stay back in India”.
