Karti was closing his foreign bank accounts: CBI tells SC

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti is unable to weave a web around the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) these days. The CBI categorically told the Supreme Court that Karti was prevented from traveling abroad as he was closing several of his foreign bank accounts. Karti started closing down the foreign bank accounts after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in March exposed the details of his 21 illegal bank accounts across the globe. The details of these 21 illegal foreign bank accounts are published at the end of this report.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta (ASG), appearing for the CBI, sought to place before the bench some documents in a sealed cover which was vehemently objected to by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Karti.

Justifying the issuance of a lookout circular (LoC) against Karti, the agency also claimed before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that “shocking” details have emerged during his foreign visits which were directly connected to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged in the corruption case.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta (ASG), appearing for the CBI, sought to place before the bench some documents in a sealed cover which was vehemently objected to by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Karti.

“What he did abroad is part of this sealed cover,” Mehta told the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud. When Sibal repeatedly protested the ASG’s submissions that the CBI be allowed to place before it the documents in a sealed cover, Mehta took the opportunity to briefly speak about the contents of documents enclosed in the cover.

“I am objecting to it. This is not a part of the FIR. They cannot file documents in the court like this,” Sibal said.

Mehta countered Sibal arguments by explaining the contents in the sealed cover in the open court. “Let me say what is contained in the sealed cover. What he has done when he was abroad. He said during interrogation he has only one account abroad. But when he went abroad, he closed several bank accounts. I don’t want to say all this as it will embarrass him, but I have been compelled.”

Sibal then said that not a single question relating to this was asked by the agency during Karti’s interrogation. “They interrogated me (Karti), but not a single question was asked on this,” he said, adding “if they can show any signature of Karti on any account, they can prosecute him under the FEMA or black money law”.

When Sibal said Karti had gone abroad to get her daughter admitted at the Cambridge University, Mehta shot back “why are you so afraid if you did only this?” When the ASG referred to the report of the financial investigation unit, Karti’s counsel said: “this has been investigated for the last 10 years”.

The ASG then told the bench, “You please see these documents. Accused cannot say ‘do not show it to the court‘.” The bench, on hearing the submissions, posted the matter for further proceedings on October 4.

The details of Karti and his firms illegal 21 foreign bank accounts exposed by Subramanian Swamy in March 2017 press conference in Delhi is published below:

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