A Delhi court on Monday extended the CBI custody of former finance minister P Chidambaram by one day in the INX Media corruption case amid confusion over the Supreme Court order regarding the interim bail.

Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar will hear the interim bail plea of Chidambaram at 3:30 PM on Tuesday. The former finance minister was produced before the court on the expiry of his three-day CBI custody granted on August 30.

What happened at the trial court

The CBI opposed any relief to Chidambaram in the case and sought an extension of his custodial interrogation by a day. Meanwhile, senior advocate Kapil Sibal moved the interim bail application of the former minister and senior Congress leader.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to reply to Chidambaram's interim bail plea and said that notice is issued to the CBI as it is required statutorily.

"All citizens have to be treated equally. Personal liberty of a common man, a rickshaw puller, is no less important... What is so special and extraordinary about this case," Mehta said, adding that "it would be a serious travesty if we are not given time to file reply on the interim bail plea".

At this, senior advocate AM Singhvi, also appearing for Chidambaram, said, "If that is not so, why is the Solicitor General here?"

Confusion over SC ruling

Confusion prevailed in the Delhi court on Monday over the Supreme Court order in the matter as both CBI and defence lawyers referring to the direction to get a favourable order.

When the proceedings began at 4:20 pm, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, told judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar that some developments have taken place in the apex court direction which was passed earlier in the day.

After the judge was informed about Monday's Supreme Court hearing, he asked if there was any direction by the apex court to seek the relief and to decide on it today itself.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing from Chidambaram, said that according to them, the apex court has asked to decide the interim bail plea today itself or extend the police custody till September 5.

However, the prosecution submitted that the SC order just stipulated that if the trial court does not decide on the interim bail today then Chidambaram's CBI custody shall be extended by a day.

When the court failed to comprehend, it asked the IO to explain the apex court order who informed the court that the Supreme Court has directed that in case interim bail is not granted then police custody be extended.

When the court was about to dictate its order, the reader of the court informed at about 5:25 pm that the order of the top court has been uploaded on the website which was shared with both the parties.

The judge granted the CBI a day's extension on custody and posted the matter for the next day.

What happened at SC

The top court had initially asked the trial court to consider Chidambaram's request for interim bail in the INX Media corruption case after Chidambaram said that he not be sent to Tihar jail under judicial custody and offered to be in house arrest.

The apex court said if Chidambaram's request for interim bail was not considered by the trial court on Monday itself, his CBI custody would be extended by three more days.

Later, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared before the SC bench in a post-lunch session arguing that the order created a jurisdictional dispute. admitting the solicitor general's plea, the SC changed the next hearing's date from Thursday to Tuesday and advised the trial court to grant CBI custody for another day, in case the interim bail is not granted to Chidambaram.

Case against Chidambaram

Chidambaram, 73, has been already subjected to custodial interrogation by the CBI for 11 days since his arrest on August 21, after the Delhi High Court on August 20 dismissed his anticipatory bail plea.

His son Karti was also present in the court.

Chidambaram, who was Union home minister as also finance minister during the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence. He was earlier produced before the court on August 22 and was remanded to four-day CBI custody.

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.

Thereafter, the Enforcement Directorate lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.