New Delhi: A special court on Thursday sent former Union finance minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody for four days till 26 August in an alleged corruption case involving INX Media.
“Considering the facts and circumstances, I am of the view that police custody is justified,” judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar of the special CBI court said and remanded Chidambaram to the CBI’s custody till August 26. The court said the allegations against Chidambaram are “serious in nature” and that “there cannot be a dispute with the fact that a detailed and in depth investigation is required”.
“The allegations made against the accused are serious in nature and there cannot be any dispute with the fact that a detailed and in-depth investigation is required in the present case. The enormity of money allegedly involved in this case and the persons who are accused necessitate an in-depth investigation,” the order said.
The special CBI court also allowed Chidambaram’s lawyers and his family to meet him for half an hour daily. Chidambaram also needs to be medically examined every 48 hours.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea filed by Chidambaram in the INX Media case.
“This court cannot permit the prosecution in this sensitive case to end up in smoke like it has happened in some other high-profile cases,” the high court said.
The court had also called it a “classic case of money laundering” and declined to provide interim protection from arrest to the Congress leader.
The CBI has alleged that Chidambaram abused his position as finance minister in 2007 to grant INX Media Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore.
