New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed Karti Chidambaram to appear before investigators at CBI headquarters on August 23 in connection with corruption case.
A bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed Karti Chidambaram to be accompanied by an advocate during questioning at CBI headquarters. But it also clarified that accompanying advocate will not be in room where questioning of Karti Chidambaram will take place.
The court posted the matter for next hearing on August 28.
The apex court had on August 14 barred Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, from leaving India and stayed a Madras High Court order allowing him to do so.
The Supreme Court, which stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the look out circular (LOC) issued by the Centre against Karti, had repeatedly sought to know when he would make his appearance for questioning before investigating agency CBI.
"We are only on one limited issue. Has he participated and cooperated in the investigation? The answer is 'no'," a bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud had said, adding, "you (Karti) must show your bonafide."
"They must show up to investigation by going to the investigating agency. We are not on whether he is guilty or not. We are on a very small issue. They asked you to appear for investigation and you did not appear. First, you said you are abroad, but on coming, you did not appear," it had said.
The Madras High Court had earlier stayed the LOCs issued on June 16 and July 18.
The case lodged by CBI in Delhi is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of almost Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union Finance Minister.
The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".
The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.
