Karti Chidambaram's petition seeking release of Rs 10 crore surety dismissed, CJI instructs him to 'focus on his constituency'

The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition by P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram seeking to release Rs 10 crore deposited with the registry. The bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said him to focus on the constituency.

Karti Chidambaram is required to seek permission to from the top court before traveling abroad. He had sought permission from the court earlier following which the court had instructed him to submit Rs 10 crore surety. Later, he filed a petition in the SC seeking the release of his money. However, CJI said to him to focus on his constituency Sivaganga after he won in the Lok Sabha elections 2019. Karti is facing criminal cases which are being probed by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI.

The Supreme Court on May 7, allowed Karti Chidambaram, who is facing criminal cases being probed by the ED and CBI, to travel to the US, Germany, and Spain this month. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna had said that the nod to travel abroad was subject to compliance of conditions imposed earlier. Supreme Court gave permission to Karti Chidambaram on payment of Rs.10 crore security.

“You shouldn’t have any problem paying the money” the CJI had then told Karti.

READ: "Chidambaram Told Sonia Gandhi He'd Quit Rajya Sabha If Ticket Wasn't Given To His Son Karti," Claims Himanta Biswa Sarma Amid Congress Tumult

Earlier on January 30, 2019, the Supreme Court had allowed Karti, to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore as security but said it would "come down heavily" on him if he did not cooperate in the probe into INX Media and Aircel Maxis cases.

"Don't play around with the law," the apex court warned Karti.

Directing him to give an undertaking that he would abide by the conditions, the court asked Karti to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 5, 6, 7 and 12 for the questioning.

"You (Karti) can go wherever you want to, you can do whatever you want, but don't play around with the law. If there is an iota of non-cooperation, we will come down heavily," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had said.