Above: Karti Chidambaram (file picture)/Photo: Anil Shakya  

The Delhi High Court on Friday (March 16) reserved its order on the bail plea filed by Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case.

During today’s hearing, the bench of Justice SP Garg was apprised by CBI’s counsel ASG Tushar Mehta that strong incriminating material of evidence has been collected so far during the investigation conducted, which shows beyond any reasonable doubt that INX Media received foreign funds.

Citing the documents pertaining to the activities which happened in foreign accounts during Karti’s visit to abroad, Mehta said: “At a very crucial juncture the investigation is going on. My lord can find out whether it is any vendetta or not. He has not only tampered but also influence the witnesses.”

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for Karti countered Mehta by saying: “I have serious objections to the manner in which these documents are presented before your lordship. It cannot be a part of case diary. Assuming that they have these documents and please ask them whether they ever gave these documents to me? How can they say I am not cooperating if they never put these documents to me.”

“I have opened the bank account in England. They all have strict norms in relation to opening bank accounts and KYC norms present there are stricter than anywhere in the world. The said bank accounts in the UK never received any payment by remittance from anywhere else except my wife and family. I categorically state once all my assets are lawfully acquired and one property overseas acquired lawfully. No property has been acquired anywhere else in the world. I have been allowed to go abroad by the Supreme Court, no interrogation by the public official has ever been made. No public servant is an accused in this case. He (the CBI) is doing only to connect me with the company INX media to which I have no connection,” Sibal further added.

—India Legal Bureau