Delhi High Court Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma recuses from Karti Chidambaram's plea in Diageo Scotland case

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of Delhi High Court on Tuesday recused from hearing a plea filed by Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Karti Chidambaram in connection with the alleged bribery by alcoholic beverage company Diageo Scotland.

Chidambaram has moved the Court seeking quashing of the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the matter.

When the matter was taken up for hearing today, Justice Sharma said that the case will have to be listed before a different bench in July.

"This will have to go. List before another bench," the judge said.

She added that another case filed by Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited concerning the same CBI FIR will also be heard by a different bench.

The CBI has accused Chidambaram of taking a bribe from Diageo Scotland in exchange for lifting a liquor import ban in 2005, when his father P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.

Chidambaram has been booked by CBI for offences under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.