CBI gets custody of P Chidambaram for 4 more days in INX Media case

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petition filed by senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram for anticipatory bail in the corruption case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying the plea has become “infructuous" as he had already been arrested.

Chidambaram’s second plea challenging the remand order of the CBI court was not listed. The third plea of the leader for anticipatory bail in the case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will be continued to heard post lunch.

The case was heard before the division bench headed by Justice R Bhanumati and comprising Justice A S Bopanna.

The bench dismissed the petition challenging the 20 August order passed by Delhi high court dismissing the anticipatory bail petition of Chidambaram. It observed that a regular bail petition before the trial court should not be influenced by Delhi high court observations.

The CBI had registered the case against the former union minister under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code and ED has registered the case under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Chidambaram, argued that the senior leader was arrested even as the bail plea application was pending in the Supreme Court.

The CBI, on 15 May 2017, registered an FIR against Chidambaram for alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance provided to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of ₹305 crore in 2007 when he was the finance minister. The money laundering case lodged by ED in this regard dates back to 2018. Chidambaram was arrested on August 21.