A special court on Thursday extended the judicial custody of former union minister P Chidambaram till 17 October. Earlier in the day, Chidambaram had moved the Supreme Court seeking bail in the INX Media corruption case after being denied the same by the Delhi High Court on Monday.
On September 30, the Delhi High Court had dismissed the bail plea of the Congress leader in the money laundering and corruption case. Rejecting the bail plea, Justice Suresh Kait had said that Chidambaram was not a flight risk but can possibly influence the witnesses.
On September 19, a special court had extended his judicial custody till October 3.
The Congress leader was arrested on August 21 from his Delhi residence, and lodged in Tihar jail on September 5, when the court sent him to 14 days judicial custody till September 19. The court had extended his judicial custody for further 14 days till October 3.
The case background
The CBI alleged irregularities in the FDI clearance granted to the INX Media by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board in 2007. Chidambaram was the Finance Minister back then. CBI has submitted emails between the INX Media and a company belonging to Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram, claiming these emails will prove the offences.
The Enforcement Directorate suspects the Congress leader and his son of owing several immovable properties and over 16 bank accounts in other countries, which they are trying to trace the money trail.
In September 2017, ED had attached assets worth Rs 1.16 crore of Karti Chidambaram who is under probe for allegedly receiving kickbacks in lieu of the FIPB clearance.
The former finance minister and his son Karti Chidambaram were named in the INX Media case by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, who are currently in a Mumbai jail in connection with the murder of Indrani’s daughter Sheena Bora.