INX media case: Madras HC allows Karti Chidambaram's associate to travel abroad

The Madras High Court today allowed Mohanan Rajesh, who is under  scanner over the INX media deal along with former union minister P Chidambaram's son Karti, to travel abroad this month for business purposes.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose passed hthe order on a miscellaneous petition filed by Rajesh seeking the court's permission to visit Singapore between April 23 and April 27.

The Centre had last year issued look out circulars (LOCs) against Karti, Rajesh and three others in connection with the case related to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was the Finance Minister.

Others facing the LOCs are C B N Reddy, Ravi Viswanathan and S Bhaskararaman.

Rajesh had earlier been allowed by the Supreme Court in January this year to visit Scotland from January 27 to February 5.

Karti had also been allowed by courts to travel abroad on a few occasions after the LOCs were issued. He was arrested by the CBI on February 28 while returning from UK and granted bail by the Delhi High Court on March 23.

The Madras High Court had on March 19 reserved its orders on the petitions by Karti and others challenging the LOCs.