The Delhi High Court on August 20 rejected former union minister P Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail plea in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the INX Media scandal.
Justice Sunil Gaur, who delivered the judgement, had reserved the decision on January 25.
Denying further protection from arrest to Chidambaram, Justice Sunil Gaur said that his status as a Member of Parliament (MP) and as a legal professional does not affect the case.
The High Court observed that prima facie, Chidambaram appears to be the kingpin, according to News18. The court also said that Chidambaram has been evasive in his replies.
"Magnitude and enormity of material produced disentitle him from any pre-arrest bail," the HC said.
According to reports, Chidambaram is likely to move the Supreme Court of India (SC) against the High Court's order.
During the arguments, both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed Chidambaram's plea on the ground that his custodial interrogation was required as he was evasive during questioning.
Both the probe agencies had contended that during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister, Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance was granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007.
The ED contended that the companies in which money was transferred are directly or indirectly controlled by Chidambaram's son, Karti, and they have a reason to believe that the FIPB approval was granted to INX Media on his son's intervention.
The high court had on July 25, 2018 granted interim protection from arrest to Chidambaram in both the cases and it was extended from time to time.
The senior Congress leader's role had come under the scanner of various investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.
Holding that Chidambaram's custodial interrogation was required for an effective investigation, the Delhi High Courtsaid "simply because he is a Member of Parliament would not justify grant of pre-arrest bail to him." Chidambaram is a Rajya Sabha MP.
Justice Gaur said the court cannot permit the prosecution in this "sensitive case to end up in smoke like it has happened in some other high profile cases."
"Facts of the case prima facie reveal that petitioner(Chidambaram) is the king pin, that is, the key conspirator in this case. Law enforcing agencies cannot be made ineffective by putting legal obstacles of offences in question," the judge said in his 24-page judgment that set off a flurry of activity by top lawyer-turned politicians from the Congress to pre-empt any coercive action by the investigative agencies. (PTI)
| Justice Sunil Gaur who passed the ordered to dismiss the anticipatory bail pleas is set to retire in 48 hours. He was the one who had reserved the decision in the matter on January 25 earlier this year. (News18)
January 25, 2019:Delhi HC reserved its judgment on P Chidambaram's anticipatory bail in both the cases.
Aug 1, 2019:ED asked Karti to vacate the Jor Bagh residence in New Delhi, a property which the agency had attached earlier.
August 20, 2019:Delhi HC dismissed the anticipatory bail pleas, also declining Chidambaram's request to stay the order for three days in order to enable him to move an appeal in the SC.
July 23, 2018:He moved the Delhi HC for anticipatory bail in the money laundering caselodged by the ED.
July 25, 2018:The High Court granted P Chidambaram interim protection from arrest in both the cases.
Oct 11, 2018:The ED attached Karti Chidambaram'sassets worth Rs 54 crore in India, the UK and Spain, in connection with the INX Media money laundering case.
May 15, 2017: Alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment and Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the group while receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007, the CBI registered an FIR in the INX media case.
October 9, 2017:P Chidambaram told the Supreme Court that the BJP-led government has been carrying a "politically-motivated vendetta" against him and his son Karti Chidambaram.
2018:The ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard. The CBI summoned Chidambaram for questioning.
Chidambaram has sought appeal in SC tomorrow... his bail was rejected today but what's the urgency that ED and CBI are haunting him tonight? What's happening today is not good for democracy. (News18)
Later, they went to a consultation room and were joined by other senior advocates and party colleagues, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Salman Khurshid.
Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, who had appeared for Chidambaram in the High Court on August 20, also joined them later.
After hectic parleys, Sibal said he has been informed by an apex court official to mention the petition on August 21at 10:30 am before an appropriate bench.
He said that as Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi will be sitting in the Constitution bench for hearing the Ayodhya case, the petition is to be mentioned before the senior-most judge, who is not on the Constitution bench.
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– PTI
# Delhi HC rejects former finance minister P Chidambaram'sbail plea in the INX Media case
# Chidambaram moves Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court's order
# Chidambaram leaves the top court
# Six-member CBI team reaches Chidambaram's house at Jor Bagh in New Delhi
# CBI team leaves Chidambaram's residence
# ED team arrives at Chidambaram's house
to CNN News18: Chidambaram was with me in my chamber till 06:30 pm.
o CNN News18: We are appealing tomorrow. The timing of rejecting the bail order is worth seeing. The judge had reserved the order seven months before. Using adjectives such as 'kingpin' is an allegation.
