‘Infructuous’: Supreme Court rejects Chidambaram plea for pre-arrest bail in CBI case
The CBI took Chidambaram in custody on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence. The arrest was made just hours after the Supreme Court did not entertain urgent hearing to his appeals filed against the Delhi high court’s order that removed his protection from arrest in the INX media case.
india Updated: Aug 26, 2019 12:45 IST
Former union minister P Chidambaram’s plea, filed on Wednesday, seeking pre-arrest bail was dismissed by the Supreme Court terming it “infructuous”.
“Since petitoner has been arrested on August 21 in view of the judgement of the constitution bench of 1980 the SLP has become infructuous. It has been dismissed,” the court said.
Chidambaram suffered a setback earlier in the day when his plea against custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was not listed by the Supreme Court on Monday.
Chidambaram’s lawyer Kapil Sibal told a bench headed by Justice Banumathi that at Friday’s hearing they were told the plea challenging the custody would be heard on Monday but it hasn’t been listed for arguments. The bench said necessary orders for the listing could not be taken during the weekend. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, however, said he has no objections if the lawyers argue on this point.
Chidambaram’s pleas against the Delhi high court order dismissing his anticipatory bail in the INX Media case and one seeking protection from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate will be heard by the Supreme Court on Monday. The top court had granted him protection from arrest in the ED case till Monday.
Also Watch: Chidambaram sent to 4 day CBI custody after arrest in INX media case
The CBI arrested Chidambaram on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence. The arrest was made just hours after the Supreme Court did not entertain urgent hearing to his appeals filed against the Delhi high court’s order that removed his protection from arrest in the INX media case.
On Thursday, a special court had sent Chidambaram to CBI custody till Monday in the INX Media case. The 73-year-old former home minister was arrested from his Jor Bagh residence on Wednesday after the Supreme Court didn’t entertain appeals for urgent hearing against the Delhi high court order.
Also read: HC judge’s order copy-pasted from ED note: Kapil Sibal to SC in Chidambaram case
The INX Media case relates to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media group for foreign investment of Rs 305 crore in 2007. P Chidambaram was the finance minister at that time.
On May 15, 2017, the CBI had registered an FIR (first information report), alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance. This was followed by a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate a year later.The agency alleges that the former directors of INX Media, Indrani Mukerjea and Peter Mukerjea, made a payment of $5 million and $450,000 to Chidambaram in 2007-08 and 2008-09, allegedly for giving the FIPB approval.
First Published: Aug 26, 2019 11:17 IST