Chidambaram was asked about his 13 days in CBI custody. His 2-word response

As he was being led out of Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court complex, a reporter asked him about the last fortnight that he had spent in custody of the CBI.

Former finance minister P Chidambaram, who was arrested by the CBI in the INX Media case last month, on Tuesday jabbed the government on the state of the economy that has dropped to a six-year low of 5 percent in the April-June quarter. Chidambaram, who has spent 13 days in the CBI’s custody, was ordered to spend two more days with the investigating agency.

Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI in the INX Media case in which he is alleged to have influenced a decision to allow foreign funding to the group in exchange for bribes to his son.(Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

As he was being led out of Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court complex, a reporter asked him about the last fortnight that he had spent in custody of the CBI.

“5 percent,” Chidambaram quipped and raised his hand to show five fingers.

That response took the reporters by surprise. “What 5 percent sir”, someone asked him.

“What is 5 percent, you don’t remember 5 percent...,” Chidambaram said as the CBI took him away. “GDP”? someone responded tentatively. He smiled.

Watch | CBI & ED heat on Chidambaram: All there is to know about the INX media case 

It was a reference to India’s economic growth that slumped for the fifth straight quarter to an over six-year low of 5 per cent in the three months ended June. Having lost the tag of the world’s fastest-growing economy earlier this year, India’s GDP growth was behind China’s 6.2 per cent in April-June, its weakest pace in at least 27 years.

That 16-second video that showed Chidambaram mocking the government was soon tweeted by the Congress. It was a “quick reminder” why P Chidambaram is feared by the BJP government, the party’s official handle tweeted. The former minister’s son, Karti, called it his father’s “first statement on the economy”.

Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI in the INX Media case in which he is alleged to have influenced a decision to allow foreign funding to the group in exchange for bribes to his son. Chidambaram and his family have trashed the allegations; the Congress says he had been targeted because he had been a sharp critic of the government.

Chidambaram and his son are being investigated by the CBI for corruption and the Enforcement Directorate for money laundering. The ED, the federal investigating agency for financial crimes that he once oversaw, has opposed his request for pre-arrest bail in the Supreme Court in this case. The top court is to rule on Chidambaram’s plea on Thursday.