"Karti Chidambaram Going Abroad Not An Important Matter", SC Declines Urgent Hearing

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined urgent hearing on a plea by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram, who is facing several criminal cases, seeking its permission to go abroad.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said the issue of Karti Chidambaram visiting abroad is not an "important matter" requiring urgent hearing.

"Karti Chidambaram going abroad is not so important that it will get precedent over other (cases)," the bench, also comprising Justices U U Lalit and K M Jospeh said.

Declining urgent hearing, the top court observed that judges have more cases "than they can handle".

Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, is under investigation for his prima facie involvement in the INX Media case pertaining to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearances to media executives Peter and Indrani Mukherjee-owned company, INX Media, for receiving overseas funds amounting to Rs 305 crore in 2007, when P Chidambaram held  office as the Finance Minister.

Earlier, the SC had granted him interim protection from arrest. In November 2017, the Supreme Court had granted permission to Karti Chidambaram to travel to the United Kingdom in December. In May 2018 too, Court  allowed him to travel to the UK, Germany, and Spain under strict conditions.