INX media case: SC grants bail to Chidambaram in CBI case, to remain in jail in ED custody
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media corruption case.
The relief from the Supreme Court for Chidambaram came on Tuesday — around two months after he was arrested.
The Supreme Court pronounced the judgment on Chidambaram’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court verdict denying him bail in the INX Media corruption case.
Chidambaram will, however, continue to remain in jail as he is presently in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Why was Chidambaram arrested
Chidambaram was arrested in connection with the graft case on August 21 by the CBI, which has recently chargesheeted him and others, including his son Karti and some bureaucrats, for causing loss to the exchequer by allegedly committing offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code.
Chidambaram is presently in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the INX Media money laundering case.
The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to 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.
The 74-year-old senior Congress leader had approached the apex court challenging the September 30 verdict of the high court which had dismissed his bail plea in the INX Media corruption case, filed by the CBI, saying the probe was at an advanced stage and the possibility of his influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and A M Singhvi, appearing for the senior Congress leader, had argued in the top court that Chidambaram should be granted bail in the case as he was neither a ‘flight risk’ and nor there was any possibility of him tampering with the evidence.