Supreme Court refuses pre-arrest bail to P Chidambaram in INX Media case
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused pre-arrest bail to P Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate. The top court dismissed Chidambaram's plea challenging the Delhi High Court verdict denying him anticipatory bail in the case.
A bench of Justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna said this is not a fit case to grant anticipatory bail. Grant of anticipatory bail to Chidambaram at this stage will hamper the investigation. The investigating agency has to be given sufficient freedom to conduct a probe into the case, the apex court said.
As per news agency ANI, the Supreme Court said, "Granting anticipatory bail at the initial stage may frustrate the investigation. It’s not a fit case to grant anticipatory bail. Economic offences stand at different footing and it has to be dealt with a different approach."
Meanwhile, the former Union Minister can move a regular bail application before the trial court for regular bail. Chidambaram is in CBI custody currently in connection with INX Media case. The CBI has accused Mr Chidambaram of money laundering and monetary infusion into the television company INX Media in 2007, when he was Finance Minister.
(With inputs from agencies)
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