Delhi court directs CBI to give 3-day pre-arrest notice to Karti Chidambaram in bribery case

Sivaganga MP and Congress leader Karti Chidambaram. (File photo)

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Friday instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide Congress leader Karti Chidambaram with a three-day prior notice if they intend to arrest him in connection with a fresh case of bribery.

The fresh case filed by the CBI alleges that Chidambaram provided favourable treatment to Diageo Scotland, an alcohol beverage company, by intervening to lift ban on the duty-free sale of its whiskey, ANI reported.

The Sivaganga MP on Friday did not press his anticipatory bail plea filed before a Delhi court in connection with the bribery case after the CBI told the court that there is no impending arrest of Chidambaram at this stage.

The Court disposed of the plea but nevertheless asked the CBI to give Karti Chidambaram three days notice in advance if it wished to arrest the Congress leader in connection with the case, Bar and Bench report.

"The application stands disposed of as not pressed. However, the Investigating Agency (CBI) shall give three days written notice prior to the Applicant in case his arrest is required after he joins the investigation of the case upon return to the country on 12.01.2025. The Applicant shall join the investigation of the case upon his return to the country and cooperate in the process of investigation, as and when so required in accordance with law," the Court directed.

Chidambaram was asked by the court to cooperate with the probe.

The case was registered over allegedly suspicious transactions involving whiskey importer, Diageo Scotland, UK and Sequoia Capital.

Chidambaram has been accused of getting bribes from Diageo in exchange for lifting a ban on the sale of duty-free liquor in 2005 when his father, P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.

The CBI has claimed that 15,000 USD was paid by Diageo to an entity "controlled by Karti P Chidambaram", namely Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt. Ltd., as part of this deal. According to the CBI, this payment was made under a fake contract and under the guise of it being consultancy charges, Bar and Bench reported.

Chidambaram, who is presently abroad, moved the court on apprehensions that he may be arrested by the CBI as soon as he returns to India on January 12. He recounted that he was similarly detained by the CBI in 2018 when he returned to India after travelling abroad. Therefore, he urged the court to grant him anticipatory bail to prevent such detention.

He also denied the allegations against him, asserting that they were part of political vendetta and questioned the delay with which the case was registered since the allegations pertain to the years 2004-2010.

However, the plea was not pressed after the Court noted that the CBI's submission that the plea was premature since the agency is yet to issue any notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) seeking his appearance.

The Court was told by the CBI that there need not be any apprehension regarding an impending arrest.

(With inputs from ANI)