DELHI HIGH COURT STAYS TRIAL IN INX MEDIA CASE

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed the proceedings before the trial court in the CBI’s INX Media corruption case involving Congress leader P. Chidambaram and his son Karti. Justice Suresh Kumar Kait issued notice and sought responses of Chidambaram and others on the CBI’s plea challenging the trial court order directing the agency to allow inspection of documents kept in Malkhana’ (designated place in police station to store seized property) by the accused and their counsel. The CBI has sought to set aside the special judge’s March 5, 2021 order to the extent that it directed CBI to allow inspection of documents kept in Malkhana by the respondents/accused/ their counsel. The agency contended that trial court’s order reflects intrusion into the investigative process of the CBI and if accused persons are allowed to inspect documents available at the malkhana, the same would subvert the probe and there is every likelihood that they may tamper with evidence. It added that this would impinge the power of the CBI to investigate into the allegations of huge economic fraud and corruption at the highest level, having national and international ramifications. It said out of 14 accused, only Karti had made the prayer to inspect Malkhana documents, however, the trial court erroneously allowed all the accused to inspect it and exceeded the judicial powers by giving relief which was not prayed for.