CBI Special Court Extends Chidambaram’s CBI Custody By Four Days Until August 30 To Investigate INX Media Case

The Special CBI Court at Rouse Avenue Court Complex, New Delhi, has extended the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) custody of former Union Minister P Chidambaram by four days, until August 30.

Earlier, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who appeared for the CBI, sought a five-day extension of the remand granted earlier by the Special Court.

Mehta told the court that whenever officials asked Chidambaram questions about rules related to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearances, the former union finance minister responded that he would have to look at that rule and then wert on reading it for an hour.

Mehta argued that further custody of P Chidambaram would be needed to get him to reveal the larger conspiracy involved in the INX Media case, adding that the CBI has received evidence and documents from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which would now need to be put before Chidambaram.

Mehta argued that Chidambaram’s confrontation with the co-accused in the case is not complete and placed a file containing email exchanges between the accused persons before the court.

However, Chidambaram’s counsel Kapil Sibal opposed Mehta’s plea for remand extension of CBI remend, arguing that no documents have been shown so far to prove certain allegations made, including the allegation that USD 5 million was paid to Chidambaram.

Sibal contended that an attempt was made to sensationalise the issue, adding that questions put to Chidambaram by the CBI had already been answered through emails.

The INX Media case pertains to the alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media at the time when P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister.

It is the case of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram received illegal gratification from INX Media founders as well as owners, Peter and Indrani Mukherjea, for its Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance.