P Chidambaram sent to Tihar Jail till September 19
In a setback to former finance minister P Chidambaram, the Supreme Court Thursday denied him anticipatory bail in the INX Media money laundering case saying granting him relief would "hamper the investigation" and the ED has to be given "sufficient freedom" in conducting the probe.
Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar sent Chidambaram to 14-days judicial custody till September 19. The court allowed him to carry his medicines to jail. Chidambaram, 73, was produced before a Delhi court on Thursday after the expiry of his 2-day CBI custody in the case. Chidambaram's 15-day CBI custody, ordered by the special court in five spells, which started after his arrest on August 21 night, ends today.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday suffered a setback after the Supreme Court denied him anticipatory bail in the money laundering case. The top court said he would hamper the investigation and ED has to be given sufficient freedom in conducting the probe.
The apex court, which held that this is "not a fit case" to grant relief to Chidambaram, said economic offences stand as a different class as they affect "economic fabric of the society" and "extraordinary power" of granting anticipatory bail has to be exercised sparingly in such cases.
The top court said granting anticipatory bail at the stage of investigation might frustrate the probe agency in interrogating the accused, collecting useful information as also material which might have been concealed.
The apex court dismissed Chidambaram's appeal challenging the August 20 verdict of the Delhi High Court denying him anticipatory bail in the case lodged by Enforcement Directorate (ED) saying there were no grounds warranting interference with the order.
The high court had also rejected his pre-arrest bail in the corruption case lodged by CBI in which he was arrested on August 21 night and has been subjected to custodial interrogation for 15 days, which comes to an end today.
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