The Delhi High Court requested the CBI’s response to petitions from former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son, Karti Chidambaram, who are seeking to delay charge framing in the INX Media case due to an incomplete investigation. The court will reassess the matter on November 29. The Chidambarams argue this delay violates their right to a fair trial.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of the CBI regarding petitions by former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, who sought to delay arguments on framing charges in the INX Media case. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued notice to the CBI, stating, “Let response be filed.”
The Chidambarams argued that framing charges should be deferred as the investigation remains incomplete. Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing them, criticized the prolonged nature of the probe, stating,
“You have been doing investigation since 2017. If you choose to be lackadaisical, should I proceed to argue on charge? It can’t be an unfair battle.”
The CBI, however, maintained that there was sufficient evidence of a “demand for bribe”, and delaying charge framing was unwarranted. The case, initiated on May 15, 2017, involves allegations of irregularities in granting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media to receive ₹305 crore in overseas funds during P Chidambaram’s tenure as Finance Minister in 2007.
Karti Chidambaram, in his plea, underscored that “further investigation cannot be a never-ending or endless exercise”, as it undermines his right to a fair trial under Article 21 of the Constitution. He also highlighted that more than 17 years have elapsed since the alleged offence, and the chargesheet filed in 2019 remains incomplete, even after seven years of investigation.
The trial court’s refusal to defer charge-framing arguments has been challenged on the grounds that incomplete evidence violates the right to a fair and speedy trial. The Chidambarams argue that any further delay creates an “unfair battle”, particularly when investigation into crucial aspects is ongoing.
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P Chidambaram was previously arrested by the CBI in August 2019 and by the ED in October 2019 in related corruption and money laundering cases, respectively. Both father and son secured bail in these cases after their arrests in 2018 and 2019.
The High Court will revisit the matter on November 29 to decide whether the trial court’s decision to proceed with framing charges aligns with constitutional rights to fair and timely justice. This case remains a high-profile example of the balance between investigation integrity and the rights of the accused.
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