INX Media case: HC grants P Chidambaram interim protection till July 3

Justice A K Pathak asked Chidambaram to join and cooperate in the questioning session as and when called by the CBI

The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted former Union minister P Chidambaram interim protection from arrest till July 3 in the Central Bureau of Investigation's INX Media corruption case.

Justice A K Pathak asked Chidambaram to join and cooperate in the questioning session as and when called by the CBI.

The court also sought the investigating agency's response on the Congress leader's anticipatory bail plea and listed the matter for further hearing on July 3.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, opposed the anticipatory bail plea saying he was merely called for questioning.

Chidambaram had on Wednesday rushed to a trial court for protection from arrest in Aircel-Maxis case before approaching the Delhi High Court in connection with the INX Media case, in which he has been asked by probe agencies to join investigations.

Chidambaram's role has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of Rs 35 billion and INX Media case involving Rs 3.05 billion. It was during his tenure as finance minister in the UPA-1 regime that FIPB clearance was granted to the two ventures in which alleged irregularities have been found.

In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, against alleged irregularities in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 3.05 billion in 2007 when Chidambaram was finance minister. Read More

Karti Chidambaram in custody, to appear in court today: Top 10 developments

A regular CBI court on Thursday will hear the agency, which sought a 15-day remand of Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media case

Karti Chidambaram, businessman and former finance minister P Chidambaram's son, will be produced before the Patiala House Court on Thursday in connection with the so-called INX Media money-laundering case. Karti had been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the Chennai airport on Wednesday morning and taken into custody by a team of CBI officers on his return from the United Kingdom. He was produced before a Delhi court, which sent him to CBI custody for one day.

Karti Chidambaram's remand will last until 12.30 pm on Thursday when a regular CBI court will hear the probe agency. The central probe agency had sought a 15-day remand for his custodial interrogation.

He will be produced before a CBI court on Thursday, All India Radio News has reported.

The CBI justified Karti's arrest by taking the ground of his non-cooperation and frequent foreign visits. CBI Prosecutor V K Sharma told the court that Karti had been repeatedly travelling abroad, which "confirmed apprehensions" that he would flee the country.

Further, the agency argued that one of the grounds for arresting Karti was the recorded statement of Indrani Mukerjea, former director of INX Media (P) Ltd.

Opposition Congress described Karti's arrest as vendetta and a diversionary tactic by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Karti, for his part, said the "whole exercise" was meant to "politically target" his father.

Opposing the CBI's arguments in court, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Karti Chidambaram, said it was a "bizarre" case. Singhvi argued that there were no grounds for the arrest.

Here are the top 10 developments around Karti Chidambaram's arrest and the INX Media money-laundering case:

1) Karti to be produced before Delhi Court: Karti Chidambaram will be produced before the Patiala House Court on Thursday in connection with the INX Media money-laundering case, according to news agency ANI. All India Radio News, however, reported that he would be produced before a CBI court on Thursday.

The Patiala House Court will also hear the bail plea of S Bhaskararaman, Karti's chartered accountant (CA), in connection with the same case. The CA had filed a bail plea before a Delhi Court on Wednesday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested S Bhaskararaman from a hotel in Delhi on February 16. Subsequently, a Delhi court had sent Bhaskararaman to 14 days of judicial custody on February 26.

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