Karti Chidambaram granted bail by Delhi High Court in INX media case

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted bail to Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in the INX media corruption case.

The apex court has asked Karti to submit his passport and banned him from travelling overseas.  Karti has also been told to furnish a bond of Rs 10 lakh.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Karti Chidambaram on February 28 for allegedly aiding INX Media in scuttling punitive action by the Finance Ministry during the tenure of his father as Union finance minister.

The Delhi High Court had reserved its verdict on March 16 after hearing arguments on behalf of Karti, and against him by the CBI which had opposed the grant of relief to him.

On March 13, the apex court had asked the investigating agency to file a status report in response to the plea.

CBI had contended that Karti should not be granted bail as he had destroyed evidence in the case and was an “influential” person.

Karti's lawyers had denied allegations of tampering with evidence and added that when the CBI had not sought his further custodial interrogation, why should he be kept in judicial custody.

The CBI had initially alleged that Karti received Rs 10 lakh as a bribe for facilitating the FIPB clearance to INX Media. It had later revised the figure to USD 1 million (about Rs 6.50 crore at the current exchange rate and Rs 4.5 crore in 2007).