In a huge setback for former Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram, the special CBI judge on Thursday extended his judicial custody till October 3.
The Congress leader, who has been lodged in Tihar jail since September 5, when the court sent him to 14 days judicial custody in the INX media case, was brought to the Rouse Avenue Court today afternoon.
Opposing the CBI’s judicial custody extension application, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Chidambaram said, “CBI application does not give reasons for extension of judicial custody and the accused has already been in custody for 14 days.”
Chidambaram is under probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED over alleged irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to INX Media for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during his tenure as Union Finance Minister.
Last Friday, a Delhi court dismissed the Congress leader’s request to surrender in a money laundering case against him relating to INX Media.
Chidambaram had moved an application to surrender before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the INX media case.
The ED suspects Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram of owning several immovable properties and over 16 bank accounts in other countries, which they are trying to identify to trace the money trail.
The ED, in September 2017, had attached assets worth Rs 1.16 crore of Karti who is under probe for allegedly receiving kickbacks in lieu of the FIPB clearance.
The Supreme Court had earlier rejected P Chidambaram’s appeal against the Delhi High Court’s order rejecting his anticipatory bail plea in a case being probed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in INX Media case.
On August 21, CBI had arrested Chidambaram from his residence in the posh Jor Bagh area of New Delhi.
P Chidambaram and his son Karti were named by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, who owned INX Media at the time and are currently in jail in connection with the murder of Indrani Mukerjea’s daughter Sheena Bora.