Chidambaram to be produced before Delhi Court in INX Media case

P Chidambaram will be produced before a Delhi Court in connection with the INX Media money laundering case on Monday. This comes two days after it was reported by ANI that the probe agency is likely to arrest Chidambaram on October 14 as a special court in Delhi had directed to produce the former union minister in connection with the case. Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar has ordered to produce Chidambaram in the court on Monday at 3 PM.

During the proceedings on October 12, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing ED in the matter, had told the court that Chidambaram's custodial interrogation is required as the agency wants to seek information related to the shell company in abroad and 17 bank accounts highlighted in the case. Even the Supreme Court had observed that his custodial interrogation is required in the case, Mehta had asserted.

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The senior Congress leader, lodged in Tihar jail was produced before Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar. The former Finance Minister had moved the Supreme Court seeking bail. According to reports, Chidambaram's Supreme Court bail plea was extended on health grounds, saying that the former Home Minister has lost 4 kgs as he is not accustomed to the jail food.

Chidambaram denied bail

Previously, on September 30, the Delhi High Court on Monday denied him bail, on grounds of the CBI's arguments. The High Court highlighted the probe agency's argument that Chidambaram might influence the investigation if he is out of jail. Chidambaram's lawyer Kapil Sibal stated that there were no allegations against the former Union Minister in the case and that he was not named in the FIR. He went on to state that Chidambaram had been only called in once for interrogation in 2018 before his anticipatory bail was dismissed. The Delhi High Court had dismissed his bail plea on August 20 calling him the "kingpin" in the INX Media case.

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INX Media case 

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as the Finance Minister.

Thereafter, the Enforcement Directorate had lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017. Chidambaram was first arrested by the CBI in connection with the INX Media case on August 22 from his New Delhi residence. He is currently been held in judicial custody in Tihar Jail after a Delhi Court dismissed his plea seeking to surrender to the ED in the money laundering case of INX Media. Both agencies are still probing Chidambaram in the case. 

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(With ANI inputs)