Delhi HC stays trial court in INX media case against P Chidambaram
May 18, 2021
New Delhi [India], May 18 : Delhi High Court on Tuesday put a stay on further proceedings in the trial Court in INX media case against former union minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram.
A single-judge bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait also issued notice to all accused in the matter and asked them to file a reply on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea challenging a trial Court order.
The Court was hearing a CBI plea challenging a trial court order directing the supply of all documents to accused persons.
CBI has sought to set aside the order dated March 5 passed by Special Judge of Rouse Avenue District Court. The trial Court has directed CBI to allow inspection of documents kept in Malkhana by the respondents/accused/their counsels.
It also sought to set aside the observations in the impugned order, inter alia, that the Petitioner-CBI is required to file or produce before the Court all the documents collected by Petitioner-CBI during the course of investigation of the case and that the accused are also entitled to copies of such documents or inspections thereof, irrespective of the fact that whether they are being relied upon by the Petitioner-CBI or not.
Earlier, CBI had registered its case on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance granted to INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.
Thereafter, ED had lodged a money laundering case. The case pertains to FIPB clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore when P Chidambaram was the finance minister. The economic offences watchdog had registered a PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) case based on FIR by the CBI and alleged that irregularities took place in the FIPB clearance to INX Media.
