The Supreme Court on Monday extended, till April 27, the interim protection from arrest it granted to Congress leader P. Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram in an alleged INX Media money laundering case.
The court ordered the relief as it adjourned the hearing on the matter relating to Karti Chidambaram since a pending matter that was being heard by the court was likely to last long.
On March 26, the top court extended till Monday (April 2) the Delhi High Court's March 9 order directing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to take any coercive action against him till March 20.
On March 15, a top court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud extended the relief to Karti Chidambram till March 26 while transferring to itself the cases pending before the Delhi High Court relating to adjudication of the ED's power to arrest an accused under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The court extended the interim protection to Karti Chidambaram as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta commenced his arguments defending the powers of ED to arrest an accused and that will continue on April 2.
The Supreme Court embarked on examining the ED's powers to arrest under Section 19 as it noted that several high courts in the country have given conflicting views on its interpretation.
Karti Chidambaram is being investigated for allegedly taking money to facilitate Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media in 2007 when his father was Finance Minister in the United Progressive Alliance government.
Earlier on March 23, the Delhi High Court had granted conditional bail to Karti.
As per ANI, Karti is not allowed to close bank accounts, influence witnesses or leave the country. Karti was also asked to furnish a bond of Rs 10 lakh.