The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest till July 3 to senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in the INX Media case.
Justice AK Pathak directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to take any coercive action against the former union minister Chidambaram till July 3, the next date of hearing.
The court has asked CBI to file response on Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail plea.
The high court has asked Chidambaram to join questioning in INX Media case as and when called by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, opposed the anticipatory bail plea saying he was merely called for questioning.
On Wednesday, a special court had granted interim protection to P. Chidambaram from arrest till June 5 in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.
Chidambaram’s role has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of Rs 3,500 crore and INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore. It was during his tenure as finance minister in the UPA-1 regime that FIPB clearance was granted to the two ventures in which alleged irregularities have been found.
In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15 last year against alleged irregularities in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was finance minister.
His son Karti Chidambaram was arrested on February 28, for allegedly taking money to facilitate Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media in 2007 when his father was the Union Finance Minister in the UPA government. Later, Karti Chidambaram was granted bail.
Earlier, the court granted interim protection to Karti Chidambaram from arrest till July 10 in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.
The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are investigating how Karti Chidambaram managed to get a clearance from the FIPB in the Aircel-Maxis deal when his father P. Chidambaram was the Finance Minister in 2006.
(With inputs from agencies)