3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 29, 2026 11:25 AM ISTCongress MP Karti Chidamabaram. (Source: File)Delhi High Court judge, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, recused herself from hearing Congress MP Karti Chidamabaram’s petition seeking quashing of an FIR accusing him of receiving “suspicious” fund transfers from liquor company Diageo and venture capital fund Sequoia Capital Tuesday.Karti and a firm accused in the case, Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited, through its director Rajesh Mohanan, had moved pleas before the Delhi HC seeking quashing of the FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2025.Justice Sharma, whose roster deals with criminal cases involving MPs and MLAs, recused from both matters without disclosing the reason for the move, and said they will have to be listed before another bench. The pleas will now be taken up next on July 21 before another court.This comes in the backdrop of Justice Sharma refusing to recuse herself from hearing the excise policy case while rejecting pleas filed by former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and five othersOn January 1 last year, the CBI had booked Karti and Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd (ASPCL) — an entity controlled by Karti and his aide S Bhaskararaman — besides Diageo Scotland, Sequoia Capital Mauritius and Vasan Healthcare Pvt Ltd after receiving a complaint from CBI inspector Ravi Raj Khatik.“A preliminary enquiry was registered on May 29, 2018, against M/s Katra Holdings Ltd, Mauritius, M/s Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd, Karti P Chidambaram, Ravi Vishwananthan, Padma Vishwananthan, S Bhaskararaman, unknown public servants of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) and unknown others to probe into the processing and approval of FIPB,” Khatik had alleged in the complaint, which is a part of the FIR.It was the CBI’s case that M/s Diageo Scotland, UK, used to import duty-free Johnnie Walker whisky. The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), which had a monopoly over sale of imported duty-free liquor in India, in 2005 had put an embargo on the sale of Diageo Group’s duty-free products in India, which resulted in huge loss to M/s Diageo Scotland as 70% of its business in India pertained to the sale of Johnnie Walker whisky.Story continues below this adAccording to the CBI, Diageo Scotland allegedly approached Karti to lift the ban and paid him USD 15,000 through ASCPL.Separately, according to the FIR, Sequoia Capital, Mauritius, had submitted an application for FIPB approval on October 13, 2008 for investing up to 26% in the share capital of Platinum Power Wealth Advisor Pvt. Ltd. The FIPB approval for FDI inflow of `9.52 crore was allegedly approved by P Chidambaram, the then the Finance Minister, in 2008, the agency said.Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:delhi high courtAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...