Breaking :CBI Court Remands Chidambaram To Judicial Custody Till Sep 19 In INX Media Case

Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram  has been sent to judicial custody till September 19 in the INX media case by Special CBI Court, Rouse Avenue, Delhi.

This means that the Congress leader will have to be in Tihar jail till then. Soon after the order was pronounced by Sepcial Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar, Chidambaram moved an application for medicines to be allowed, western toilet facilities, adequate security and a separate cell to be provided equipped with cot and bathroom, which was allowed by the Court.

Chidambaram also withdrew the application filed for interim bail. Further, an application for surrender in the case registered by Enforcement Directorate was also filed. The Court will take up the surrender application on September 12.

Chidambaram, who was arrested by CBI on August 21, had spent 15 days in its custody as on today.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the CBI Court that the SC today rejected Chidambaram's application for pre-arrest bail in the case registered by Enforcement Directorate in relation to INX Media deal. The SC has termed it to be not a fit case for grant of bail. The special leave petition filed against the August 22 remand order has also been unconditionally withdrawn by him, told the SG.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal opposed the demand for judicial custody saying that there were no grounds.

Chidambaram is willing to be remanded to custody of ED, submitted Sibal.

Sibal saying that police custody need not be followed by judicial custody always#PChidamabaram

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 5, 2019

The allegation is that as Union Finance Minister in 2007, Chidambaram took kickbacks for FIPB clearance for the FDI of INX media, and the money was routed through the companies linked with his son Karti Chidambaram.

The ED has registered a separate case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act in respect of the money laundering allegations.  The CBI case is with respect to corruption allegations.

In a related incident, Chidambaram and his son Karti were granted pre-arrest bail by Special CBI Judge O P Saini in the Aircel-Maxis case.