Madras High Court declines relief to Karti Chidambaram in INX case

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The Madras High Court on Tuesday refrained from granting any relief to former Union minister P Chidambaram's son Karti, who sought quashing of the FIR filed by the CBI and its subsequent summonses in the INX Media case. Justice P Velmurugan directed the court registry to return all the papers in the case to the petitioner so as to enable him approach the Delhi High Court which has superintendence powers in the matter. The judge had on August 16 reserved orders on maintainability of Karti's petitions seeking to quash the FIR and summons related to the case pending in a CBI special court in Delhi. Before the verdict was pronounced on Tuesday, the media was asked to leave the courtroom.

In his order, the judge held that the petitions filed by Karti were maintainable and the high court had territorial jurisdiction.

But, in the interest of justice, and in order to avoid conflicting views in case any of the parties (other accused) moved the Delhi or Bombay High Court, the court held it was inclined to adopt the 'doctrine of forum of convenience' so that parties could move the convenient court.

On May 15, an FIR was registered by CBI against Karti and INX Media along with eight others for alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the media house for receiving foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2007 when his father was the finance minister.