Delhi court directs CBI to give pre-arrest notice to Karti Chidambaram

A Delhi court on Friday directed the CBI to give a three-day prior written notice to Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in a fresh corruption case alleging he gave relief to a liquor company over the duty-free sale of its whisky.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja passed the order while directing Chidambaram to join the investigation and cooperate in the process as and when required by the agency.

The judge was hearing Chidambaram's anticipatory bail plea in the case.

"The investigating agency shall give three-days written notice prior to the applicant in case his arrest is required after he joins the investigation of the case upon return to the country on January 12, 2025. The applicant shall join the investigation of the case upon his return to the country and cooperate in the process of investigation, as and when so required in accordance with law," the judge said.

The CBI registered the case against Chidambaram for allegedly giving relief to Diageo Scotland over a ban imposed by ITDC (India Tourism Development Corporation) on the duty-free sale of its whisky, officials said on January 9.

The case relates to the alleged suspicious payment made to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt. Ltd (ASCPL), "an entity controlled" by Karti and his close aide S Bhaskararaman by Diageo Scotland and Sequoia Capitals, the FIR said.

The case, fourth against the Congress MP, stems from a preliminary enquiry registered by the CBI in 2018 to look into alleged irregularities in granting FIPB clearance when P Chidambaram was the finance minister. The case was registered against Katra Holdings, ASCPL, Karti Chidambaram and others.