In a relief to Karti Chidambaram, the Supreme Court, in its ruling, has prevented his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the INX Media money laundering case until March 26. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra extended interim relief by four days.

Karti was first protected from ED arrest till March 22 in an order by the Delhi High Court. Following the order, ED moved Supreme Court challenging the High court ruling saying Junior Chidambaram ‘abused’ the law to get relief from Delhi HC.

The Supreme Court has also ordered the transfer of the case to itself along with all other cases pertaining to ED’s power of arrest in cases of money laundering. SC will be examining the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and its provision.

Karti Chidambaram was sent into judicial custody and was lodged in Tihar Jail on March 12. He was arrested on February 28 and was questioned by CBI in connection with the money laundering case.

Allegedly, he has facilitated FIPB approvals of the company when his father P. Chidambaram was the finance minister in the then ruling UPA government. He is accused by the CBI of receiving a bribe from the two owners of the company, Peter and Indrani Mukherjea.