The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to respond to petitions filed by former Union Minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, seeking a delay in the arguments over the framing of charges in the INX Media case. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued a notice to the CBI and asked for its response.
The Chidambarams, represented by senior counsel Sidharth Luthra and advocate Akshat Gupta, have requested the court to defer the charge-framing proceedings, arguing that the investigation is still ongoing. They contended that since certain aspects of the investigation are incomplete, the charge-framing should not proceed.
In response, the CBI’s counsel argued that there was sufficient evidence to establish allegations of bribery and that the framing of charges should not be delayed due to the pending investigation.
The case stems from a 2017 investigation by the CBI, which alleges irregularities in the approval of foreign investment in INX Media in 2007, during P. Chidambaram’s tenure as finance minister. The CBI claims that the INX Media group was granted FIPB clearance to receive Rs 305 crore in foreign funds in exchange for a bribe.
The Chidambarams have challenged a trial court decision that denied their request for a delay in charge-framing. Luthra argued that the chargesheet filed by the CBI was incomplete and that they had not been granted full access to all the materials collected by the agency, especially since some parts of the investigation are still pending.
Karti Chidambaram’s petition emphasized the impact of an unfinished investigation on his right to a fair trial under Article 21 of the Constitution. He pointed out that the alleged offences took place in 2007-08, and yet, despite the registration of the FIR in May 2017 and the chargesheet being filed in October 2019 after more than two years of investigation, certain aspects of the probe remain unresolved. This, he argued, is resulting in a delay of the trial and breaching his constitutional right to a timely and fair process.
The Chidambarams have also raised concerns that further investigation cannot continue indefinitely, as it would violate their right to a fair and speedy trial.
P. Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI in August 2019 in connection with the INX Media corruption case. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in October 2019. Six days later, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a related money laundering case and granted bail in December 2019. Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI in February 2018 and released on bail the following month.
The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for November 29.
With inputs from PTI.