The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Karti Chidambaram, who is facing criminal cases being probed by the ED and CBI, to travel to the United States, Spain and Germany this month.
A bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi has asked Karti Chidambaram to deposit a security deposit of Rs 10 crore.
Karti has been facing criminal cases being investigated by the ED and the CBI into his alleged role in the INX Media deal and the Aircel Maxis case.
Earlier in January, the top court had allowed former defence minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti to travel abroad but warned that the court will “come down heavily” on him if he does not cooperate with the probe agencies.
The court allowed him to travel to the UK and Spain in February and March adding a stern rider directing him to co-operate with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its probe.
“You can go wherever you want to, you can do whatever you want, but don’t play around the law. If there is an iota of non-cooperation, will come down heavily,” CJI Ranjan Gogoi had told Karti.
The apex court also ordered Karti Chidambaram to deposit Rs 10 crore as security with the Secretary General of the Supreme Court.
The ED had earlier alleged that Karti was “blatantly misusing” the liberty granted by the court in allowing him to travel abroad and has been using the same to protract the investigation in the case.
The apex court had on July 23 last year allowed Karti to visit the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America from July 23 to 31, making it clear that he has to abide by the conditions imposed by it in an earlier similar order.
One of the cases relates to FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds of Rs 305 crore when his father was the finance minister. He is also facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis and money laundering matters.