INX Media case: 3 member ED team reaches Tihar to grill P Chidambaram

P. Chidambaram was grilled by a three-member team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday morning in relation to the INX Media money laundering case, prior to taking a final call on his arrest. Nalini and Karti Chidambaram, the wife, and son of the Congress leader, too reached the jail premises ahead of the interrogation process.

ED officials Mahesh Gupta, Sandeep Thapliyal, and Dainik Jain arrived at Tihar jail to interrogate the former Finance Minister. This came after a special court on Tuesday allowed the law enforcement agency to grill Chidambaram for 30 minutes in connection with the matter. Special CBI Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar had allowed the ED to interrogate the Congress leader and arrest him if deemed necessary.

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The Court had directed Tihar jail authorities to make necessary arrangements and provide the required security to question the former Home Minister in the prison.  The special judge gave the directions based on a plea filed by the ED seeking permission to arrest the senior Congress leader in the case.

Meanwhile, the court also dismissed the application moved by the lawyer of Chidambaram challenging the court's earlier order of the production of the senior Congress leader. In his application, Chidambaram had stated that a warrant issued on Friday for seeking his production for arrest and remand for investigation was illegal and contrary to the rules.

ED to arrest Chidambaram

Sources have reported that the ED will arrest the former Union Minister after interrogating him in Tihar Jail. Chidambaram is currently in judicial custody in the CBI case of INX media. His custody had been extended until October 17 in the INX Media case by a Delhi Court on October 3. Earlier on Friday, ED had moved the Special CBI Court seeking judicial custody in connection to the INX Media case. Sources report that the agency has stated that the interrogation of the former Union Minister needs to be conducted on shell companies and foreign bank accounts.

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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 ED 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)