The Supreme Court has allowed MP Karti P Chidambaram to travel abroad on condition to deposit Rupees 2 crores. The Apex Court has also directed him to furnish his itinerary and the place where he will stay.
A two-judge bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice R. Subhash Reddy has directed Karti P Chidambaram to deposit 2 crore and should mention the address of the place where he is travelling. The permission allowed for 6 months.
Senior Counsel Kapil Sibal appeared for Karti P. Chidambaram submitted that his client Karti P Chidambaram is seeking leave to travel abroad.
Additional Solicitor General S.V Raju submitted that earlier also permission was granted to travel abroad subject to the deposit of a security of Rs. 10 crores.
Kapil Sibal opposed the condition of 10 crores, he asked why should such a condition be imposed on a member of parliament. It has never happened that such a condition has been imposed in the history. He is not going to run away and such conditions should not be imposed. This is entirely unfairly, he said.
Justice Bhushan said we can reduce the amount to 5 crores.
Sibal argued why should a condition of 5 crores be imposed. Maneka Gandhi case says right to travel abroad is a fundamental right.
Justice Bhushan said its only because there is an Enforcement Directorate case.
Sibal insisted that the petitioner is not going to run away. Why should the petitioner be imposed with a condition every time he seeks permission to travel abroad. This is the 7th time. Earlier there has been order where there was no condition imposed, he said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the bench should consider not to deviate from its earlier order.
Sibal said that the bench should allow the permission to be sought from the trial court.
Mehta objected and said that the petitioner has been protected by this court hence the petitioner has to seek permission from this court.
Karti P Chidambaram is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) in several cases.
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