Chidambaram in New Delhi Monday (PTI Photo)A Delhi court Tuesday extended the CBI custody of former finance minister P Chidambaram till September 5 in accordance with a Supreme Corder order. Chidambaram’s CBI custody was ending today after the court extended it by a day on Monday.
The CBI has sought an extension of Chidambaram’s custodial interrogation by two days in the case related to corruption charges in the INX Media case.
Chidambaram, 73, was produced before Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar. The judge was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Chidambaram’s counsel that the apex court has passed an order today that he will be in CBI custody till September 5.
The judge took note of the Supreme Court order and ordered Chidambaram’s CBI custody till Thursday. “The order passed by the Supreme Court today has been downloaded by the staff from the official website (Supreme Court). The Solicitor General has told the court about the order. In view of the above, I deem it appropriate that CBI custody (of Chidambaram) shall remain till September 5.
“The accused to remain in CBI custody and be produced on September 5,” the judge said.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court said the CBI custody of the former minister would continue till September 5, while adding that “we are conscious that we should not usurp the jurisdiction of the concerned trial court.”
A bench of justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna said it would Thursday hear Chidambaram’s plea in which he has challenged the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him as well as the trial court’s orders remanding him in the CBI custody.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and AM Singhvi, appearing for Chidambaram, assured the court they would not press for interim bail for Chidambaram till then.
On Monday, the SC directed the trial court, which has been hearing the case against him, to extend his CBI custody for three more days in case it rejects his plea for bail.
This direction came after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, pleaded that he should not be sent to Tihar jail. His CBI custody was ending Monday and if the trial court had sent him to judicial custody, he would have been moved to Tihar jail.
The case relates to alleged financial irregularities in clearances granted when Chidambaram was the Union Finance minister in the Congress-led UPA government. The CBI has opposed Chidambaram’s bail, as he is a “very powerful and influential person in public life and has been a former Home and Finance Minister of the country”.
