A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Friday rejected former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's plea to surrender to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the INX Media corruption case. Chidambaram, who is lodged in Tihar, will continue his stay in jail.

Chidambaram had moved an application to surrender to the Enforcement Directorate for investigation in the INX Media case.

During the hearing of the arguments on Thursday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, sought the dismissal of the surrender application, saying that the enforcement agency does not want Chidambaram's custody because they are "using this time to investigate the matter".

"As of now, we don't want his custodial remand. We will seek his custody at an appropriate time. Since Chidambaram is already in judicial custody, he cannot tamper with evidence or influence witnesses. We are using this time to its maximum to investigate the matter," Mehta told the court.

Tushar Mehta had also said that choosing a date of the arrest was not the accused's right.

He said, "Chidambaram's arrest was necessary but the ED cannot be directed to arrest him on a particular date."

The Congress leader was arrested by the CBI in the INX Media case on Aug 21 and sent to the CBI custody for interrogation. Last week, a CBI court had sent Chidambaram to judicial custody in Tihar jail till September 19.

Chidambaram is facing probe in cases registered by the CBI and the ED pertaining to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when he was the Union Finance Minister.