Delhi High Court Delays Hearing on Karti Chidambaram's Plea

The Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing of Congress leader Karti Chidambaram's plea to nullify a new FIR filed by the CBI. Chidambaram is accused of using his influence for Diageo Scotland's benefit. The case involves allegations of bribery, with questionable transactions involving Advantage Strategic Consulting.

The Delhi High Court has deferred the hearing for Congress leader Karti Chidambaram's plea to dismiss a fresh FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Presided over by Justice Vikas Mahajan, the bench delayed proceedings to April 16 after noting a request for adjournment from Chidambaram's counsel.

The new FIR accuses Chidambaram of facilitating favorable treatment for Diageo Scotland, an alcoholic beverage company, by allegedly intervening to overturn a prohibition on the duty-free sale of its whisky. His petition aims to quash the FIR, which lists charges including criminal conspiracy and corruption under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to the CBI, Chidambaram is suspected of accepting bribes through deceptive contracts and share deals.

Chidambaram has argued that he was never summoned for the preliminary inquiry and contested the absence of named public officials allegedly influenced by him in the FIR. He also highlighted the filing delay, asserting that there is no evident case against him. Furthermore, his plea claims the FIR's registration is 'illegal' due to non-compliance with Section 17-A of the PC Act, which requires prior approval before implicating unidentified public servants. The CBI's FIR alleges suspicious payments from Diageo Scotland and Sequoia Capital to Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt. Ltd, purportedly controlled by Karti P. Chidambaram, raising further questions on the financial transactions involved.