CBI moves SC against Madras HC order staying lookout notice on Karti Chidambaram

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday moved the Supreme Court against a Madras High Court order staying a lookout notice against Karti Chidambaram in a 2G related matter. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter for an early hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. Mehta told the court the order staying the lookout notice was received by the CBI on Friday and since the next two days were Saturday and Sunday, they were moving the court on Monday for an early hearing.  Mehta told the bench that the Madras High Court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.  Emerging from the court room, Mehta said that the plea was against stay of lookout notice. He urged the bench to hear the matter at the end of the board later during the day saying that the petition challenging the high court order has already been numbered. On August 10, Madras High Court had granted an interim stay on the lookout notice issued against Karti Chidambaram by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI in the FEMA rules violation case. The court had asked the Union Ministry to file a response in this case. The lawyer representing the Central government said that the central agencies issued notices so that Karti Chidambaram did not escape from the country. He also claimed that Karti did not appear before them when summons was issued to him. However, Karti’s lawyer claimed that the matter is still sub judice and he has been present for the court hearings. In such a scenario, it is illegal to file a Lookout Circular (LOC) against him. The court had given an interim stay to Karti Chidambaram in the case and posted the matter for hearing on September 4, 2017.   (With IANS inputs)