Former Union minister P Chidambaram's ordeal has been prolonged as
a special court on Thursday sent him to
a five-day CBI custody in connection with INX Media
money laundering case. He will remain in the CBI custody till August 26.
Chidambaram’s legal team is now planning to fight another legal
battle on Friday to get protection against arrest in ED cases.
The Supreme Court bench of Justice R Banumathi and Justice AS
Bopanna will hear Chidambaram’s plea filed against the Delhi High Court’s order
rejecting his anticipatory bail plea in CBI and ED cases.
This is the case related to INX Media, in which matter is listed
for hearing on August 27. The anticipatory bail plea was listed in CBI case on
Friday but matter turned infructuous as CBI arrested him on Wednesday night
from his residence.
Here are the Live Updates:
3:10 pm: SC grants interim protection to
Chidambaram in ED case, lists matter for August 26
The Supreme Court Friday granted protection from arrest to former
Union finance minister P Chidambaram in the money laundering case lodged by ED
and agreed to hear on August 26 the CBI and ED cases in the INX Media scam.
Chidambaram will however continue to be in the CBI custody as the
apex court did not intervene in the matter for which he has been sent for
custodial interrogation of the agency till Monday.
A bench comprising justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna posted
both the matters for hearing on Monday, August 26.
"Having heard the counsels for petitioner and Solicitor
General Tushar Mehta, we are of the view that the co-accused were granted bail
in the ED case. Petitioner shall not be arrested till further hearing of the
case. List the petition on Monday (August 26). The respondent (ED) shall file
their reply and contentions by Monday," the bench said.
After the order was dictated, Mehta tried to
hand over sealed cover documents to the court saying that the bench should
satisfy its conscience before passing an order granting protection from arrest
to Chidambaram.
3:08 pm: CBI to focus on all FIPB approvals given by Chidambaram
Following Enforcement Directorate's lead, the
CBI's custodial interrogation of former Union Minister P. Chidambaram is expanding
from INX Media to other firms which were given Foreign Investment Promotion
Board (FIPB) clearances by the Congress leader during his tenure as the Finance
Minister in the UPA government.
After a special court on Thursday sent
Chidambaram to four-day CBI custody till August 26, the probe agency is now
specifically focusing on all FIPB and FDI clearances given by Chidambaram, said
a source, adding, "However, it is very difficult to crack him".
On Day 2 of Chidambaram's interrogation
following his arrest on Wednesday night, the Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) is enlarging its scope of investigation from INX Media to Aircel-Maxis
and four more business deals, suspecting his role in granting alleged illegal
FIPB clearances and receiving multi-crore kickbacks through several shell
firms, sources said on Friday.
The sources said the CBI is looking at
Chidambaram's role in grating alleged illegal FIPB approvals to Diageo Scotland
Ltd, Katara Holdings, Essar Steel Ltd and Elforge Ltd.
The FIPB, which used to function under the
Union Finance Ministry, has now been scrapped.
3:06 pm: Chidambaram in CBI custody
till Monday
3:04 pm: Chidambaram, Karti get protection from
ED arrest till September 3
13:14 pm: Pakistan Senator Rehman
Malik has condemned the arrest of Congress leader P Chidambaram and added that
he was targetted by the Modi government.
12:55 pm: Both CBI and ED cases to
be heard on Monday
12:54 pm: Chidambaram can't be arrested by ED
till Monday, says SC
12:52 pm: Chidambaram has been evasive, he's not
answered questions, says solicitor general
The solicitor general said, "It's my case that he's
[Chidambaram] been evasive. He's not answered questions and unless he's under
custodial interrogation, he will remain evasive."
"We do not give interim protection only because some high
court had given interim protection earlier," he said.
12:49 pm: Found 10 properties,
17 bank accounts in various countries linked to Chidambaram, says ED
12:43 pm: It's a case of money laundering of a
monumental magnitude, says govt lawyer
The government lawyer in court said that illegitimate money would
not be deposited in my account if I'm innocent. He said that there are
allegations of shell companies being created where money is transacted and
laundered.
"We can show case diaries to court. It's a case of money
laundering of a monumental magnitude. I am saying this with some
responsibility," the lawyer said.
12:38 pm: HC judge copy pasted
ED note, says Kapil Sibal defending Chidambaram
12:35 pm: Hue and cry being
created about vendetta on TV debates, says solicitor general
The solicitor general said that there are a large number of
petitions pending on the issue of retrospective effect of PMLA in SC. The high
court judge noted that the gravity of the offence necessitated denial of
bail."
He also said, "At a stage which is pre-chargesheet stage, we
are limited. Hue and cry being created about vendetta on TV debates."
"The evidence is about digital documents. There were searches
conducted and email communication has been recovered," he said.
12:34 pm: Solicitor general opposing
anticipatory bail plea
12:32 pm: CBI has statement of Indrani Mukerjea
saying that she gave money to Karti, says solicitor general
Solicitor general said, "When the matter was first argued
before the media yesterday is when I came to know this is their argument."
He said, "The CBI case is that the accused as finance
minister granted FIPB approval to INX media. INX media is owned by Indrani
Mukerjea. CBI has recorded statement of Indrani Mukerjea saying that she gave
money to Karti. That's the predicate offence. The ED is probing the money
trail."
12:29 pm: What chance in hell do I have of
getting bail, asks Kapil Sibal
Kapil Sibal said, "If courts are going to cut and paste
allegations of the investigation agency without hearing me, what chance in hell
do I have of getting bail?"
12:26 pm: Chidambaram's lawyers raise questions
on Delhi HC order
Kapil Sibal said that Delhi HC says "on narration of
facts" and "material collected", Rs 3 crore has come into
account of ASCPL. "Where are these facts? Where is the evidence? None of
the evidence is on record," he said.
12:25 pm: Kapil Sibal slams ED, says ED did not
file any affidavit
12:22 pm: Issue is about personal liberty, says
Kapil Sibal
12: 21 pm: SC to hear CBI custody order on Monday
12:18 pm: SC hearing plea for
anticipatory bail against ED in INX media case
12:17 pm: SC bench Justice Banumathi says whether right or wrong, the
custody order has been passed by a competent court.
12:16 pm: SC says it will hear CBI case on
Tuesday
12:15 pm: Kapil Sibal says CBI should not have
arrested P Chidambaram
12:14 pm: No question of anticipatory bail when
accused is in custody, says SC
12:13 pm: Chidambaram's bail plea hearing begins
in Supreme Court
12:06 pm: All this being done to
divert attention from economic crisis, says Ashok Gehlot
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, on P Chidambaram's arrest, said,
"All this is being done to divert attention from the economic crisis
looming in the country. People of the country are watching. They have installed
governments in the past and when the time comes, dethroned such forces."
11:20 am: If P Chidambaram does not get relief from the Supreme or the
anticipatory bail petition is rejected, he will file a regular bail petition in
the ED case, sources said.
11:02 am: Nalini Chidambaram inside SC, Karti
also in court
P Chidambaram's wife Nalini is present inside the Supreme Court.
She is sitting outside court 7 where matter is to be heard. Karti Chidambaram
is also present in the court.
10:06 am: Karti Chidambaram
leaves from his house
9:49 am: P Chidambaram was questioned briefly
last night after being brought back to CBI headquarters
P Chidambaram was questioned briefly last night after he was
brought in to the CBI headquarter from the court. The questioning was
specifically in connection to FIPB approvals and the FDI.
9:48 am: Will be going to court for P
Chidambaram, says son Karti
9:11 am: Economy in ICU, govt targetting those
defending civil liberties, says Kapil Sibal
Targetting the Centre over slowdown in the country's economy and
the arrest of former Union minister P Chidambaram, senior Congress leader Kapil
Sibal on Friday said while the economy is in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the
government has issued a "look out notice" for all those defending
civil liberties.
Taking to Twitter, the former Law Minister said the developments
in the last few weeks have shown that both the economy and the cause of liberty
need a "stimulus package".
"The economy is in ICU and government has issued a "look
out notice" for all those defending civil liberties," he tweeted.
This comes a day after Sibal had expressed his discontent over
Chidambaram's arrest and termed it "drama" and "political
persecution".
On August 21, the Delhi High Court dismissed Chidambaram's plea
for bail. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate
(ED) had issued a look-out notice against him on Wednesday in the INX media
case. A special anti-corruption court on Thursday sent the Congress leader to
CBI custody till August 26.
9:10 am: Justice Sunil Gaur,
who denied bail to Chidambaram, retires
Justice Sunil Gaur who passed the order denying anticipatory bail
to former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and businessman Ratul Puri, retired
on Thursday.
A full court reference was addressed to Justice Gaur who also handled the trial
in sensational Shivani Bhatnagar murder case.
(IANS)
9:06: am: Chidambaram to sleep on 'takht' in
Tihar once CBI custody ends
Former Finance and Home Minister P Chidambaram would be spending
his next four nights in the plush CBI headquarters on Lodhi Road during the
police remand, but his stay in his expected judicial custody would be rather
harsh. Tentative arrangements are being chalked out at Tihar jail, once the CBI
custody of the high-profile prisoner ends.
Highly placed sources in the Tihar jail said that Chidambaram, in all
probability, is expected to be sent to jail once his CBI remand is done.
"We are not concerned with the period of CBI or ED custody. We are making
preparations for his judicial custody, as he is expected to be lodged in Tihar,
as per the jurisdiction," said a senior official of the Tihar jail,
considered the biggest prison complex in Asia.
Sources said as of now, Chidambaram, if not granted bail in coming weeks, would
be lodged in Jail No 7 meant for economic offenders.
(IANS)
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday
said the Congress should not worry about the arrest of P Chidambaram if he had
committed no wrong and asserted that the law will take its own course.
The CBI on Wednesday night arrested Chidambaram, senior Congress
leader and former Union finance minister, in connection with alleged corruption
in granting foreign investment clearances to INX Media during his tenure.
Top Congress leaders defended Chidambaram and accused the Union
government of political vendetta.
8:45 am: No political vendetta in action against
Chidambaram, says Chouhan
BJP vice president Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said there
was no political vendetta behind the action against former Union minister P
Chidambaram, who has been arrested in connection with the INX Media alleged
corruption case in New Delhi.
The Congress has come down heavily on the BJP government over the
arrest of Chidambaram, accusing it of using the CBI and the ED as
"personal revenge-seeking departments". The former Union minister was
on Thursday sent to four-day CBI custody by a Delhi court, which said his
custodial interrogation was justified in the case.
"Law takes in own course. Chidambaram went to the court, but
did not get relief. The Congress's act of blaming the central government is not
proper as it is working without any vendetta," Chouhan told reporters.
"If someone has indulged in any wrongdoing, it should be
probed. It hardly matters whether the wrongdoer is big or small," the
former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said while refuting the Congress's charge
that Chidambaram was a victim of political vendetta.
(PTI)
8:44 am: Chidambaram makes
submissions after his request allowed by court
A request that former
Union minister P Chidambaram, arrested in the INX media case, be allowed to
make a brief submission was granted by a Delhi court, despite strong objection
from the CBI.
Soon after arguments on
custodial interrogation got over, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who
was appearing for Chidambaram, sought permission from special judge Ajay Kumar
Kuhar that his client be allowed to speak as he wants to throw some light on
the questions being asked by the CBI during interrogation.
Solicitor General Tushar
Mehta, who was appearing for the CBI, vehemently opposed the request saying the
former finance minister has a team of legal stalwarts like senior advocate
Kapil Sibal and Singhvi, who have already presented their arguments, and Chidambaram
doesn't need a "crutch" to argue his case.
"Generally, only one
lawyer is allowed to argue. But two able lawyers have already made the
submissions (on Chidambaram's behalf). If we allow him, then we should not
oppose any accused to make submissions in person across the country. This will
set a very wrong precedent. If he himself wants to make submissions then he
should not be represented by any counsel," Mehta said.
Singhvi said there are
Supreme Court judgments which say that an accused can make submissions.
(PTI)
8:38 am: Uncaged parrot is not supposed to become
vulture, says Abhishek Manu Singhvi
Referring to Supreme Court's 2013 remark likening the CBI to a
'caged parrot', former finance minister P Chidambaram's lawyer Abhishek Manu
Singhvi said an uncaged parrot should not turn into a vulture and prey on
innocent people.
His comments came after a CBI court gave the CBI five-day custody
of P Chidambaram, who was arrested by the investigative agency on Wednesday
night in the INX Media case.
