INX Media case: P Chidambaram produced in court, CBI seeks custody for 5 more days

P Chidambaram, senior Congress leader and former finance minister, was Monday produced before a Delhi Court on expiry of his four-day CBI custody in the INX Media corruption case.

Chidambaram was produced before the court after the Supreme Court refused to entertain his plea challenging the Delhi High Court order which had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in the corruption case lodged by the CBI arising out of the INX Media case.

He was brought before Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar by the CBI which sought extension of Chidambaram’s custodial interrogation by five days.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General K N Natrajan are arguing for CBI and said there were sufficient grounds for extension of his custodial interrogation as he was interrogated from August 23-26 and was confronted with a co-accused.

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The confrontation with co-accused is not complete, the prosecutors said and placed before the court a file containing email exchanges between the accused persons.

“We need five days of custody of Chidambaram as the confrontation with co-accused will continue to unearth larger conspiracy,” Mehta contended.

The Supreme Court Monday extended till Tuesday the protection from arrest given to former finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.

A bench of justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna said it will continue hearing on Tuesday the petition of Chidambaram challenging the Delhi High Court order which had rejected his anticipatory bail plea in the money case.

Also read: Don’t read it, Chidambaram tells SC on ‘sealed cover’ documents given by ED

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram completed his arguments and said he will file the rejoinder to the ED’s counter affidavit.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for ED, said he will advance his arguments Tuesday and the bench posted the matter for hearing at noon tomorrow.

During the pre-lunch session, Sibal said that fair trial and fair investigation were part of Article 21 and the court must protect the fundamental right of liberty of Chidambaram.

He strongly objected to Mehta’s argument to place on record certain documents in sealed cover for the perusal of the bench.

He said Chidambaram was examined thrice by the ED -- on December 19, 2018, January 1, 2019 and January 21, 2019 -- but the questions related to the allegations levelled by the ED against him were not put to him.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram’s tenure as the finance minister.

First Published: Aug 26, 2019 16:41 IST