CBI resorting to innuendos: Karti

Allegations deeply hurting, he tells SC

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, 19/08/2017: Tamil Nadu Tennis Association Vice President Karti Chidambaram at the Adidas-MCC National junior under 18 tennis championship at the SDAT tennis stadium in Chennai on August 19, 2017. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

Accusing the CBI of making innuendos and false statements against him in the Supreme Court, Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, challenged the investigating agency on Monday to prove that either he or his family had undisclosed assets abroad.

Appearing before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said the CBI was accusing him of holding undisclosed properties and assets without having filed a single FIR.

He said he and his family were “deeply hurt” by the allegations. Reading out from an affidavit filed by Mr. Karti, Mr. Sibal said they were prepared to hand over to the government any undisclosed assets the investigating agencies found. Mr. Karti said he and his family had been income tax assessees for years.

“How can they say all this without even filing an FIR,” Mr. Sibal asked the court. He was responding to submissions made by the CBI, represented by Additional Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, that “new developments and new properties” had come to light in the case during the investigation into the alleged kickbacks received by Mr. Karti for securing FIPB clearance for INX Media when his father was Minister. “We have found 25 important properties in foreign countries... these new details have emerged during the investigation,” Mr. Mehta said.

He said the evidence was in a sealed cover the agency had handed over to the apex court.

Mr. Sibal then asked why these allegations were made before the Supreme Court, which was only concerned with the legality of the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the government on June 16. The Madras HC had stayed the LOC, but the Supreme Court subsequently lifted the stay order.“I have very serious objections to the allegations made every time the case comes up for hearing... What we are discussing here [in the Supreme Court] is restricted to the legality of the LOC,” Mr. Sibal submitted.

The court asked the CBI to address the issue of how these reports were being filed in the Supreme Court without even an FIR. It posted the case for hearing on September 18.