INX media case: Karti moves SC seeking stay on ED summons

The central probe agency had registered the case against him and others in May last year.

Karti Chidambaram moved Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a stay on Enforcement Directorate's summons against him in connection with INX media money laundering case.

Last week, Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, had appeared before the ED for the second time. He reportedly told the ED that he was appearing before the agency "under protest". He was first grilled by the agency on January 18.

Karti's name had cropped up in the case which relates to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2007 for receipt of funds by INX Media when his father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was the Union finance minister during the previous UPA regime.

The central probe agency had registered the case against him and others in May 2017. It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED's equivalent of a police FIR, against the accused named in a CBI complaint, including Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its directors -- Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.

Early this week, a Delhi court had extended by two days the ED custody of Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman in connection with the case. Special judge N K Malhotra allowed the ED to interrogate Bhaskararaman till February 23, while the agency said he was required to be quizzed for seven more days.

The ED had earlier said that during the course of the investigation, it was revealed that Bhaskararaman, who is a qualified chartered accountant, has been assisting Karti to manage his huge ill-gotten wealth in India and abroad.

(With agency inputs)