Karti gets protection from arrest till April

A day after securing bail from the Delhi high court in the INX Media case, Karti Chidambaram on Saturday got more relief from a city court which granted him protection from arrest till April 16 in the AircelMaxis matter arising out of the 2G spectrum cases lodged by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Special Judge OP Saini granted the relief considering that both the investigative agencies sought three weeks to file their responses on the anticipatory bail plea moved by Karti, son of former union minister P Chidambaram.

The court also said that Karti shall not leave the country without its permission and will appear before the investigating officer as and when directed to join the investigation.

“Since three weeks’ time is prayed for by the CBI, by submitting that during this period law shall prevail, apparently it means that as a matter of legal and judicial propriety, the applicant (Karti) shall not be arrested by the CBI during the pendency of the instant application. This is in consonance with the provisions of section 41A of the CrPC,” the order said.

“Accordingly, it is directed that in case presence of the applicant is required by the IO during three weeks’ time prayed for by the senior PP for the CBI, he shall appear before the IO as and when directed and shall join the investigation,” the judge said. An identical order was passed in the ED case too.

“Put up the application for reply by the CBI/ED and disposal on April 16 as prayed. Till then, the applicant shall not be arrested in the instant case,” the judge said in the orders.

NEW DELHI: