Karti Chidambaram moves Delhi HC, seeks quashing of CBI FIR

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram seeks to quash CBI FIR alleging relief to Diageo Scotland in duty-free whisky ban.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Tuesday (January 28, 2025) moved the Delhi High Court seeking to quash a CBI FIR against him for allegedly giving relief to alcoholic beverage company Diageo Scotland over a ban on the duty-free sale of its whisky.

The MP's plea argued there was a "gross delay" in the registration of the "illegal" FIR on January 1 while claiming it was malafide and borne out of "political vendetta and regime revenge".

The case, the fourth against the Congress MP, stemmed from a preliminary inquiry registered by the CBI in 2018 to look into the alleged irregularities in granting FIPB clearance when P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister.

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The case was registered against Katra Holdings, ASCPL, Karti and others.

"There is gross delay in registration of the impugned FIR in as much as the allegations pertain to the period of 2004-2010 (as per the FIR) whereas the subject FIR has been registered in 2025, i.e., after 20 years," the plea alleged.

The plea, filed through lawyer Akshat Gupta, said as the FIR was filed against unidentified public servants without obtaining prior approval of the competent authority, its registration was unlawful and any inquiry or investigation was also illegal.