Supreme Court Refuses Urgent Listing Of Chidambaram's Plea; Fails To Get Any Interim Relief From Being Arrested

The Supreme Court refused an urgent listing of Congress leader and former union finance minister P Chidambaram's petition seeking protection from arrest in the INX Media scam case.

Chidambaram’s lawyer Kapil Sibal made a request for the second time for the matter to be listed, only to be told that defects in the special leave petition filed on behalf of Chidambaram were removed only recently and hence the case could not be heard immediately on the same day itself.

Justice Ramana told a persistant Sibal that the matter cannot be heard unless it was listed as per procedure and that only the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi could take up the matter for listing.

Sibal reminded the court that protection from arrest has been granted to people on the basis oral mention in the past, the bench stated that it had directed the registry which found defects in the petition.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the plea on behalf of Chidambaram for hearing the matter on oral mentioning stating that the papers are not with him.

Towards the end of the hearing, Sibal stated that Chidambaram is ready to give an undertaking that he would not run away, but the court did not consider his submission and concluded its brief hearing.

Earlier during the day, Sibal had requested the Supreme Court to pass an interim order of protection from arrest until the matter is listed, but the court did not accede to his request.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have filed caveats in the Supreme Courty stating that no interim relief should be granted to Chidambaram without hearing their objections.