SC Issues Notice to Nalini and Karti Chidambaram

Responses have been sought by the Supreme Court from Congress leader P Chidambaram's wife Nalini and son Karti on an Income Tax department appeal against the Madras High Court order quashing criminal prosecution against them in an alleged black money case.

The CJI Ranjan Gogoi-helmed bench issued notices to the duo and made it clear that the 2018 Madras High Court order quashing criminal prosecution against the Chidambarams would not be stayed. The matter concerns alleged non-disclosure of overseas bank accounts and assets held by Nalini, , Karti and daughter-in-law Srinidhi.

The three did not disclose a jointly-owned property in Cambridge in the UK worth `5.37 crore in their returns, amounting to an offence under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) Act and Imposition of Tax Act, according to the IT department.

On November 2 last year, the Madras High Court said that no case was made out and quashed the criminal prosecution. Family members of the former Union minister had filed writ petitions challenging the criminal prosecution.

Karti had not disclosed an overseas bank account he held with Metro Bank in the UK and investments made in Nano Holdings LLC, USA, the department also alleged.