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Chidambaram arrested LATEST updates: A Delhi court granted CBI the custody of former finance minister P Chidambaram till 26 August to interrogate him in the INX Media case. According to India Today, Chidambaram’s family members and team of lawyers will be allowed to meet him for 30 minutes everyday during the period. The court has told the CBI that personal dignity of Chidambaram should not be violated. The special CBI court is expected to pronounce shortly the verdict in the CBI’s plea for custodial interrogation of P Chidambaram. Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar heard the arguments of CBI and Chidambaram’s counsel for over one-and-a half-hours before reserving the order. The special CBI court hearing the agency’s plea for P Chidambaram’s custody has reserved its order for 30 minutes. Before the conclusion of arguments, the court allowed Chidambaram to speak during the hearing. The former finance minister then said that during the questioning in June 2018, the CBI had only asked him about whether he had a foreign bank account. “Just because my answers aren’t what they want to hear, it doesn’t mean I’m not cooperating,” Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court after the CBI claimed that P Chidambaram was not cooperating in the INX Media case. Appearing for the CBI, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta told the court that though right to silence is a Constitutional right, P Chidambaram was not co-operating in the investigation into the INX Media case. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal countered the demand, saying that custodial interrogation was unnecessary as the investigation was already complete. The hearing has begun in the special CBI court. Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta has begun the arguments for the CBI, which is seeking a five-day custody of P Chidambaram. P Chidambaram will be produced in a special CBI court today in a short while. The former finace minister’s son Karti and wife Nalini have already arrived at the court premises. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded its second round of interrogation of Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media corruption case on Thursday. Reportedly, he was interrogated for three hours, during which Chidambaram was “evasive”, India Today quoted sources as saying. P Chidambaram is likely to be produced in the special CBI court by 4 pm today. The CBI has 24 hours to produce Chidambaram before a magistrate or a court. The deadline gets over at 9 pm today. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the former finance and home minister was arrested for an allegation made against him in 2007, after a dozen of years in 2019. He also stated that officials of the company which was involved in the case were not arrested. Karti Chidambaram said, “This is not merely targeting of my father but the targeting of Congress party. I will go to Jantar Mantar to protest.” Former finance minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram on Thursday said that his father’s arrest by CBI on Wednesday night in connection with the INX Media corruption case is being done just to divert attention from the issue of Article 370. “It (the arrest) is being done just to divert attention from the issue of Article 370,” Karti told reporters. “This whole thing is politically trumped-up. There are no merits whatsoever. These are apparently about alleged events which took place in 2008 for which an FIR was filed in 2017. I have been raided four times. I have been summoned 20 times. I have appeared for at least 10-12 hours in each of the summons. I was also the guest of the CBI for 11 days. Everybody who is even remotely associated with me has been summoned and extensively questioned, and still, we don’t have a charge-sheet. There is no case. I have absolutely no link with INX Media,” Karti said. Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI Wednesday night from his residence in connection with INX media corruption case after dramatic developments with the agency sleuths scaling walls to gain access to the bungalow in the high-end Jor Bagh locality. “Mr P Chidambaram has been arrested in connection with INX media case,” a senior official of the agency said. A CBI spokesperson said he has been arrested on the basis of a warrant issued by a competent court. [caption id=“attachment_7203721” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
CBI officials escort Congress leader P Chidambaram from his Jor Bagh residence in New Delhi. PTI[/caption] Chidambaram will spend the night in the CBI lock-up. A medical examination will be conducted and he will be produced before a special CBI court on Thursday, where the agency will seek his remand. The CBI which was looking for 73-year old Chidambaram since Tuesday after his anticipatory bail application was rejected by the Delhi High Court managed to get a whiff of his location only when he appeared on camera at the Congress headquarters in the evening to make a press statement. Rejecting reports of his evading the law, he told reporters that the charges against him and his son were “nothing further from truth”. Flanked by senior Supreme Court lawyers and party colleagues Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Chidambaram said he was working with his lawyers through the last night, preparing his papers for his bail application, which was filed before the Supreme Court earlier. The sleuths rushed to the party office, but by the time they reached, Chidambaram had already left for his residence 115-A in Jorbagh, a 10-minute distance from the party office, in a luxury sedan accompanied with his lawyers and party colleagues – Singhvi and Sibal. Leaving no stones unturned to avoid an embarrassing situation of Tuesday when the agency failed to locate him at his bungalow, the CBI team made a strong presence today with about two dozens officers swarming the place. With a big media contingent beaming live images of the developments, the CBI team first knocked the gates to gain entry but finding no response, they nimbly scaled the nearly five-ft high walls to gain entry. Once three officers reached inside, they opened the gates to allow entry to other team members waiting outside. Soon a team of officers, identifying themselves as from ED, too arrived at the scene. A team of about two dozen officials remained on guard at the bungalow when Chidambaram was inside with Sibal and Singhvi. After completing arrest formalities, the CBI team had to wade through Congress supporters who had gathered outside raising slogans against the agency. Some supporters jumped on the white car in which Chidambaram was being taken to the agency headquarters. Delhi Police personnel were also posted to prevent any adverse law and order situation. The agency had been seeking Chidambaram’s “custodial interrogation” in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the grant of foreign investment clearances to INX Media when he was the finance minister. They said Chidambaram was summoned last year for questioning in the case but he remained evasive in his responses. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to grant P Chidambaram any protection from arrest by rejecting his plea seeking anticipatory bail. Swinging into action after the high court order, a team of CBI officers had landed at the Jor Bagh residence here to locate him but he was not present. The agency officials returned after pasting a notice at his residence on Tuesday night asking him to be present before the investigation officer of the case within two hours. Chidambaram did not appear before them. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has listed Chidambaram’s petition on Friday without giving him any interim relief in the matter. 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 finance minister. Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2018.
Chidambaram arrested updates: Ex-FM to be in CBI's custody till Monday; family, lawyers allowed to meet just for 30 mins everyday
Chidambaram arrested LIVE updates: Chidambaram’s family members and team of lawyers will be allowed to meet him for 30 minutes everyday till he’s in CBI’s custody. The court has told the CBI that personal dignity of Chidambaram should not be violated during this period.
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P Chidambaram’s plea to be heard by SC bench headed by Justice R Banumathi
Congress leader P Chidambaram’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court verdict dismissing his anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media case would be heard on Friday by the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice R Banumathi.
Centre wants to suppress opposing voices: Bhupesh Baghel on Chidambaram’s arrest
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “P Chidambaram was constantly criticising the policies of the Central government and was pointing out their failures. The government can’t face criticism and so they want to suppress the opposing voices.”
P Chidambaram taken out of court
P Chidambaram was taken out of the CBI court soon after the verdict on the agency’s plea for his custody was pronounced. Meanwhile, the security at the CBI headquarters was beefed up.
CBI gets Chidambaram’s custody till 26 August
A Delhi court granted CBI the custody of former finance minister P Chidambaram till 26 August to interrogate him in the INX Media case. According to India Today, Chidambaram’s family members and team of lawyers will be allowed to meet him for 30 minutes everyday during the period. The court has told the CBI that personal dignity of Chidambaram should not be violated.
Chidambaram’s plea against CBI listed in SC for tomorrow, petition against ED listed for 27 August
P Chidambaram’s plea against the Delhi High Court judgment, which denied him anticipatory bail in the INX Media case being probed by CBI, is listed for hearing in the Supreme Court for Friday. Beside this, another petition by him seeking anticipatory bail in the case being investigated by the ED is listed for 27 August.
If the CBI court doesn’t grant CBI Chidambaram’s custody, the ED will still have a chance to arrest him till the Supreme Court hears the matter.
Kapil Sibal, Singhvi outside CBI court
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi were seen outside the CBI court in Delhi after hearing on the CBI plea seeking 5-day custodial interrogation of Congress leader P Chidambaram, who was arrested on Wednesday in the INX Media corruption case.
CBI court order expected shortly
Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar heard the arguments of CBI and Chidambaram’s counsel for over one and a half hour before reserving the order.
Court reserves order for half an hour
The special CBI court hearing the agency’s plea for P Chidambaram’s custody has reserved its order for 30 minutes.
Court allows Chidambaram to speak
Chidambaram was allowed to speak by the CBI court during the hearing. He told the court that when he was called by CBI on 6 June 2018, he was only asked if he had a foreign bank account. He said that he didn’t have one and had given CBI the details of one bank account maintained by son Karti.
Chidambaram wants to speak in court, Tushar Mehta objects
Opposition CBI’s plea for P Chidambaram’s custody, Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the agency that it can ask him questions in the court itself. According to reports, Chidambaram expressed his want to speak to the judge, but CBI’s counsel Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta objected to it. “How can questions related to investigation be asked here. I did not object to two counsels arguing for Chidambaram, but this is objectionable,” Live Law quoted Mehta as telling the court.
Singhvi argues why Chidambaram shouldn’t be denied bail
Abhishek Manu Singhvi cited three tests for denying bail: non-cooperation, tampering of evidence, and risk of fleeing. “None of these are present in the case… Prosecution hasn’t made allegations of tampering of evidence or flight risk against P Chidambaram,” he said.
Chidambaram hasnt’ been evasive, Singhvi tells court
“Just because my answers aren’t what they want to hear, it doesn’t mean I’m not cooperating,” Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court after the CBI claimed that P Chidambaram was not cooperating in the INX Media case.
‘Approver is a status, not evidence’: Singhvi on CBI relying on Indrani’s statements
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, also appearing for P Chidambaram, told the special CBI court that that the investigation agency’s entire case was based on (accused-turned-approver) Indrani Mukherjea’s evidence and a case diary. “Approver is a status, not evidence,” he said,
Sibal counters CBI’s argument on Chidambaram’s ‘protective umbrella’
Countering CBI’s argument that “certain questions can be answered only when accused is not under a protective umbrella”, Kapil Sibal said, “When the judge reserved the judgment for seven months, is this the ‘protective umbrella’ that I (P Chidambaram) sought?”
Custodial interrogation unnecesary, says Kapil Sibal
Opposing the CBI’s demand for five-day custody of P Chidambaram, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told the CBI court that former finance minister’s custodial interrogation was unnecessary. “FIPB approval is given by six secretaries of the Government of India. None of them have been arrested,” he told the court. He also claimed that the investigation in the case was already over.
P Chidambaram refuses to sit in witness box
As the hearing in the CBI court continued, P Chidambaram stood in the witness box, refusing to sit despite Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta offering him a chair.
CBI concludes arguments
As he sought five-day custody of P Chidambaram, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta told the court that the case was “serious” and of “monumental magnitude”.
Certain questions can be answered only when accused is not under protective umbrella: CBI tells court
Seeking a five-day custody of P Chidambaram, CBI told the Delhi court, “He (Chidambaram) is not providing all the documents required for investigation.. Certain questions can be answered only when the accused is not under the protective umbrella.”
CBI tells court custodial interrogation needed to confront Chidambaram with documents
“Custodial Interrogation is required to confront P Chidambaram with the relevant documents and other accused in the case to take the investigation further,” Bar and Bench quoted Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta as telling the CBI court.
Chidambaram not co-operating, CBI tells court
Appearing for the CBI, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta told the court that though right to silence is a Constitutional right, P Chidambaram was not co-operating in the investigation into the INX Media case.
Meanwhile, former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat arrived at the court premises to show his support for his party colleague.
Hearing begins in CBI court
The hearing has begun in the special CBI court. CNN-News18 reported that the CBI is seeking a five-day custody.
Chidambaram and legal team inside special CBI court
P Chidambaram and his legal team, which includes senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, are inside the special CBI court.
What’s the fun in levelling baseless allegations against Opposition now: Sadanand Gowda rubbishes allegations of political vendetta
“Practically… what they did (misuse of investigating agencies during the Congress tenure)…now they are suffering from the same phobia”, the Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister said. “If at all we wanted to resort to political vengeance, we would have done earlier (in the previous term). Now everything is over, we are in absolute power and the party has got more (bigger) mandate. Now is there any necessity for anybody to (do it)?,” Gowda asked. “What’s the fun in simply levelling some false allegations against our…(political rivals). It’s a totally baseless allegation,” he told CNN-News18.
CBI officials ready list of over 100 questions for P Chidambaram
A team of officials, armed with over 100 questions pertaining to process of clearance, alleged meetings with INX media promoter Indrani Mukerjea, companies Chess Management and Advantage Strategic etc, will question former home and finance minister P Chidambaram over the course of his custody with the agency, according to sources.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi hits out at Congress for supporting Chidambaram
Hitting out at the Congress for strongly backing P Chidambaram in the INX Media case, Union minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday said the opposition party and its leadership is trying to “convert corruption into a revolution“.
“The Congress is working with a negative mindset. They have converted corruption into a revolution. This is for the first time that corruption is becoming a revolution. Till now, revolution was against corruption, now revolution is being carried out in favour of corruption,” Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told PTI.
DMK President MK Stalin backs P Chidambaram
Mamata condemns how Chidambaram was arrested
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, in a statement in the West Midnapore district, said that she condemns the manner in which P Chidambaram was arrested. She added that she was not questioning the law, but condemns the manner of his arrest as he is a distinguished personality, being a former Finance and Home Minister. “It is very sad. Democracy is in danger,” she said.
CBI to produce P Chidambaram in court shortly
P Chidambaram will be produced in a special CBI court today in a short while. The former finace minister’s son Karti and wife Nalini have already arrived at the court premises.
SG Tushar Mehta likely to represent CBI in case against Chidambaram
Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta is likely to represent the CBI against Congress leader P Chidambaram in the INX Media case hearing in the agency’s special court on Thursday, News18 reported.
CBI likely to seek custody of P Chidambaram
The CBI, who is one of the central agencies investigating allegations of corruption against former finance minister P Chidambaram, is likely to seek the custody of the Congress leader after he was arrested from his residence in Delhi on Wednesday night.
India Today reported that the agency will appeal for custody on the grounds that Chidambaram was “evasive” and uncooperative in the investigation, and also the “enormity of the evidence”.
CBI concludes questioning P Chidambaram
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded its second round of interrogation of Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media corruption case on Thursday. Reportedly, he was interrogated for three hours, during which Chidambaram was “evasive”, India Today quoted sources as saying.
Chidambaram likely to be produced in CBI special court at 4 pm
P Chidambaram is likely to be produced in the special CBI court by 4 pm today. The CBI has 24 hours to produce Chidambaram before a magistrate or a court. The deadline gets over at 9 pm today.
Congress walks out from HP Assembly over P Chidambaram’s arrest
The opposition Congress on Thursday walked out from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, protesting the arrest of former finance minister P Chidambaram. Congress MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri raised slogans before staging the walkout. Agnihotri rose from his seat soon after the Question Hour at noon and stated that Chidambaram’s arrest was a “murder of democracy”. However, Speaker Rajiv Bindal stopped him from raising the issue, stating no notice for discussion was given.
Soon after Congress MLAs started raising slogans “Modi Sarkar Murdabad". Countering them, BJP MLAs raised slogans like “Chor Machaye Shor.”
Prashant Bhushan calls action against Chidambaram malafide
Public interest lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan said that the P Chidambaram’s arrest for “custodial interrogation” was “malafide”.
Arrested on Indrani Mukerjea’s Word", says RS Surjewala
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the former finance and home minister was arrested for an allegation made against him in 2007, after a dozen of years in 2019. He also stated that officials of the company which was involved in the case were not arrested. “A seasoned man with 40 years’ dedication to public was arrested on the statement of a jailed woman who has been charged with murdering her own daughter,” he said, adding that there was no evidence against him in the FIR, nor was there a charge sheet against him.
Reports say P Chidambaram to be produced in Court post lunch
Hope CBI sleuths who scaled walls have courage to tell truth to political masters, says RS Surjewala
“I hope that those CBI officials, who scaled the walls of P Chidambaram’s residence to feed the media propaganda and please their political masters, will now also have the courage to tell the PMO that there is no evidence against P Chidanmbaram and Kar,
CBI attack on P Chidambaram attempt to character assasinate him, says RS Surjewala
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, addressing the media, said that the Government is hell bent upon using CBI and ED as personal revenge seeking departments., which is evident in the way P Chidambaram has been persecuted and prosecuted.He added that it was nothing short of personal vendetta.
Karti Chidambaram categorically denies meeting Indrani, Peter Mukerjea
“I have never met Indrani, Peter Mukerjea”, Karti Chidambaram told CNN-News18. “I’m categorically mentioning this. I have never met Peter Mukerjea or Indrani Mukerjea or anyone associated with them,” says Karti Chidambaram as he lands in New Delhi. He added that there was no reason for his father to be at any particular place. “There was no court order. He was a free man and could do whatever he wanted with his free time.”