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INX media money laundering case: Supreme Court extends protection to Karti Chidambaram till April 2

The probe agency, and the ED, have leveled charges of corruption and illegal gratification against Karti

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The Supreme Court extended the interim protection against arrest by the CBI and the ED accorded to Karti Chidambaram – son of former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, till April 2. The hearing, which remained inconclusive, would also continue on April 2.

On March 23, the Delhi High Court had granted Karti bail in the INX Media money laundering case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested Karti on February 28 from Chennai, on his arrival from London. The probe agency, and the ED, have leveled charges of corruption and illegal gratification against Karti.

The apex court bench, led by Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, was hearing a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the order of protection. The ED sought a clear view on its powers of arrest section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in lieu of conflicting orders from various high courts.

Appearing for the ED, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta addressed a bench that also comprised Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, informing that that the ED's power to arrest those accused of a crime is by a statute, which was established after keeping in mind several international conventions underlining the need to curb money laundering generated from drugs smuggling, terror financing and black money routing.

Mehta referred to the 1988 UN convention and said the member countries felt the need to have a law to deal with the offense of money laundering.

The advent of e-commerce has made investigation into money laundering more difficult as ill-gotten wealth have been transferred to all corners of the world very conveniently after globalisation, he said.

On March 15, the apex court had granted interim relief to Karti in the INX Media money laundering case and said it would clear the "confusion", which has crept in due to the divergent views of different high courts on ED's power to arrest.

—With Agency inputs

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