Chidambaram denied anticipatory bail in money laundering case
Congress leader P Chidambaram suffered a major setback Tuesday as the Delhi High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail in the INX Media scam describing him as the "kingpin" and paved the way for the investigating agencies, CBI and ED, to arrest him. Hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant any protection from arrest to former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, a team of CBI officers landed at his posh Jor Bagh residence in Delhi to locate him, but returned empty-handed as Chidambaram was not present at home.
Here are 10 points in the case
- The Delhi High Court Tuesday refused to grant anticipatory bail to P Chidambaram and said he seems to be the "kingpin" and "key conspirator" in the INX media case of money laundering and he needs to be interrogated in custody for the investigation to be effective.
- Chidambaram did not get any relief from the Supreme Court, which he approached shortly after the high court cancelled the interim protection from arrest.
- Holding that Chidambaram's custodial interrogation was required for an effective investigation, the court said, "simply because he is a Member of Parliament would not justify the grant of pre-arrest bail to him."
- Hours after the judgment was pronounced, a CBI team headed to Chidambaram's home in posh Jor Bagh locality but left the place after he was reportedly not found at the residence. An ED team also followed but returned.
- Later on Tuesday, a team of the CBI re-visited the residence of Chidambaram in Delhi. The team placed a notice at Chidambaram's doorstep, asking him to appear before them in connection with the case.
- The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.
- Thereafter, the ED in 2018 had lodged the money laundering case in this regard. The court, which had reserved its order on January 25 on the anticipatory bail pleas of Chidambaram in both CBI and ED cases, also declined interim protection from arrest to him for approaching the Supreme Court in the case.
- When the news of this huge setback reached Chidambaram, he was in the Supreme Court along with some junior lawyers. An attempt was made by the media to seek his reaction but he gestured he does not want to speak on the issue.
- The court said the gravity of the offence committed in this case amply justify denial of pre-arrest bail and it was of the prima facie opinion that it was not a fit case for granting the relief to him.
- The senior Congress leader's role had come under the scanner of various investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.
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In this video: CBI team arrives at P Chidambaram's residence in Delhi
