'Chidambaram's bail at this stage will hamper probe,' says SC in INX Media case
'Accused may move regular bail before the appropriate court,' the top court said.
New Delhi: In a setback for former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, the Supreme Court on Thursday refused him anticipatory bail in the INX Media case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.
The top court said that Chidambaram would not be shown all materials collected by ED at this stage and neither does the agency need to produce the transcripts of the senior Congress leader’s questioning in court.
"This is not a fit case for grant of anticipatory bail. Investigating agency has to be given enough freedom to probe. Grant of anticipatory bail at this stage will hamper the investigation. Accused may move regular bail before the appropriate court,” the court added.
“Economic offences stand at different footing and it has to be dealt with different approach,” the court said, according to news agency ANI.
CBI had lodged an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in FIPB clearance granted to INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram’s tenure as finance minister. Thereafter, ED lodged a money laundering case in 2017. The Delhi High Court had on August 20, rejected anticipatory bail pleas of Chidambaram in the INX media scam cases lodged by CBI and ED.