INX Media case: Chidambaram remanded in CBI custody for four more days

The CBI Special Court has remanded former Finance Minister P Chidambaram for four more days in police custody till August 30.

In its submission to the court, the CBI on Monday said that the investigation could not be completed and that Chidambaram has been confronted with one of the co-accused in the INX Media case.

The CBI officially did not name the co-accused Chidambaram was confronted with but said that he will be confronted with other co-accused in the INX Media case.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court was hearing arguments in a case challenging the Delhi High Court order refusing to grant anticipatory bail plea to Chidambaram against CBI arrest. There was controversy during the hearing over a leaked affidavit in which ED has claimed that Chidambaram distanced himself from the fraud by opening shell companies.

The ED also alleged that he opened seventeen benami (shell) accounts in names of his ‘co-conspirators.’ The agency pressed the Supreme Court for Chidambaram's custody but the apex court refused and will continue to hear the arguments on the case on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday held that the appeal filed by Chidambaram against the Delhi High Court’s refusal for anticipatory bail against CBI arrest was now “infructuous” given that the investigative agency had already made the arrest.

Chidambaram was arrested on August 21, 2019 by the CBI and was remanded to police custody till Monday (August 26). Appearing for the CBI, Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta said that certain files are to be shown concerning transaction of INX Media. He also submitted that in the ongoing investigation, some information regarding the role of the accused has been received from sister agencies which are being scrutinised and are required to be put to be accused for the purpose of the investigation.

Mehta also said that numerous emails which are to be co-related with other documents which have come to the knowledge of CBI. He said that a payment of $ 5 million and $ 4.5 million has been made to Chidambaram and letters have been written to other countries seeking information on these transactions.

The CBI has written to the UK, Mauritius, Singapore, Bermuda and Switzerland governments seeking information on alleged payments to Chidambaram that have been parked in ‘several companies abroad’. Sources in the CBI said that payments have allegedly been made to Chidambaram in lieu of granting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approvals during his tenure as the Finance Minister.

Appearing for Chidambaram in the CBI Special Court, Kapil Sibal said that there is no evidence of a payment of $ 5 million and $ 4.5 million. He further said that during the police custody, Chidambaram has not yet been asked about these payments.

COMMENT NOW