DELHI HC RESERVES ORDER ON KARTI’S BAIL PLEA

Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved order on the anticipatory bail plea of Congress leader Karti Chidambaram in a money laundering case connected with an alleged Chinese visa scam.

Justice Poonam A Bamba reserved the order after hearing Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for Karti Chidambaram whereas ASG SV Raju appeared for Enforcement Directorate. Earlier on June 6, Delhi High Court adjourned the hearing on the anticipatory bail of Karti Chidambaram on the joint request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Karti till Wednesday.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has moved a petition seeking anticipatory bail in the money laundering case connected with the alleged Chinese visa scam.

He has challenged the trial court order denying him anticipatory bail in the matter. The court had also dismissed the plea for seeking interim protection to approach the High court for anticipatory bail.

CBI judge M K Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court last Friday had dismissed all three applications moved by Karti Chidambaram, S. Bhaskararaman and Vikas Makharia.

The Court had dismissed the bail plea in view of the past involvement of Karti Chidambaram and S. Bhaskararaman in INX Media and Aircel Maxis cases.

The court also agreed with the argument of the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) that the investigation is at the nascent stage and the quantum of the alleged laundered amount may be more than 50 lakhs.

The Special Judge had observed in the order, “This court is of the considered opinion that even while keeping aside the issue of applicability of bar and twin condition of Section 45 of PMLA, the nature and gravity of the alleged offences, the nascent stage of investigation and also previous criminal antecedents of accused Kati Chidambaram and S. Bhaskar Raman do not make it out a case for grant of anticipatory bail to applicants or any further protection for them to join the investigation of this case as it will seriously hamper the process and investigation.” (ANI)