INX Media: Ex-FM Chidambaram applies for bail in Delhi High Court
Chidambaram was sent to judicial custody in Tihar Jail on Sep 5 for alleged clearances given to INX Media.
New Delhi: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking bail in the INX Media case. Chidambaram also challenged a trial court order on September 5, remanding him to 14 days judicial custody pertaining to the same case till September 19, reported India Today.
In his bail plea, Chidambaram challenged his judicial custody, terming his arrest "illegal". He has sought bail on the grounds that no other accused in the INX Media case has been arrested. Chidambaram also said in his bail plea that he had already been interrogated and hence there was no rationale in arresting him.
The 73-year old Congress leader was arrested by the CBI on August 21.
Chidambaram was sent to judicial custody in Tihar Jail on September 5 for alleged clearances given to INX Media in return for money when he was Union finance minister. He was sent to custody till September 19.
The former finance minister said that the charges against him are based on events that took place in 2007 and that the accusations of interference on his part are "baseless". The trial court had earlier said that the allegations against Chidambaram were found serious, therefore, he was remanded to police custody. The court had also issued directions for keeping Chidambaram in a separate cell in Tihar prison as he was a protectee under Z-security.
The apex court had on September 5 dismissed his appeal against the Delhi High Court's August 20 order and denied him anticipatory bail in the money laundering case lodged by ED.
On the same day, another special court granted Chidambaram and his son Karti anticipatory bail in the Aircel Maxis cases lodged by CBI and ED.
The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as the finance minister.
Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.
Chidambaram, who was the Union home minister and the finance minister during the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence.