A Delhi court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide a three-day pre-arrest notice to Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in connection with a fresh corruption case. The case alleges that Chidambaram facilitated undue relief to a liquor company, Diageo Scotland, allowing duty-free sales of its whisky despite restrictions imposed by the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC).
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued the order while hearing Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail plea, requiring him to cooperate with the investigation upon his return to India on January 12, 2025. “The investigating agency shall give three-days written notice prior to the applicant in case his arrest is required after he joins the investigation of the case,” stated Judge Baweja.
The allegations involve suspicious payments made to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt. Ltd (ASCPL), a firm reportedly controlled by Karti Chidambaram and his close aide S Bhaskararaman. The payments were allegedly made by Diageo Scotland and Sequoia Capitals, as detailed in the FIR filed by the CBI. This inquiry is part of a broader investigation initiated in 2018 concerning irregularities in the granting of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance during the period when P Chidambaram, Karti’s father, was the Finance Minister.
