New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the response of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, his son Karti Chidambaram and others on a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against an earlier trial court order which permitted them inspection of documents in a case related to INX Media.
Issuing a notice on the matter, a bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna slated it for further hearing on April 20.
The ED has approached the High court opposing the inspection of documents by the persons on the grounds that allowing them inside the ‘Malkhana’ — room to store case-related materials in court –may lead to the tampering of evidence in the ongoing high-profile money laundering case.
As per the probe agency, while the accused had a right to a fair trial, the collective interest of society cannot impinge.
On March 14, Delhi High Court’s Justice Chandra Dhari Singh had recused himself from hearing the ED’s plea challenging an order that allowed accused persons in INX Media Pvt Ltd, including Chidambarams, to inspect the documents seized during the investigation.
On March 23, a Delhi Court had granted regular bail to Chidambarams, in connection with a case alleging irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal, filed against them by the CBI and the ED.
–IANS