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Chidambaram INX Media Case Highlights: SC extends Chidambaram’s protection from arrest by ED till tomorrow
Former union minister P Chidambram’s lawyer said in Supreme Court on Tuesday that the Enforcement Directorate was producing documents randomly and said that such papers could not be used in the court.The top court was hearing a fresh petition filed by the senior Congress leader against the August 22 order of the trial court that remanded him to CBI’s custody till August 26 in INX Media case. Appearing for Chidambaram, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said the agency cannot place documents in the court randomly and “behind the back” for seeking custody of the accused.The apex court will also hear his separate petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s order denying him anticipatory bail in the INX Media case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).During the hearing on Monday, the bench rejected his plea against the high court verdict denying him anticipatory bail in a corruption case lodged by the CBI in the INX Media case. The apex court said Chidambaram’s plea in the CBI case has become “infructuous” since he has been arrested by the agency.Read highlights here:
3:35 pm IST
SC extends Chidambaram’s protection from arrest by ED
The Supreme Court has extended P Chidambaram’s protection from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in INX Media case till tomorrow.
3:20 pm IST
Hearing to continue tomorrow
Supreme Court hearing in the INX media case will continue tomorrow and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will present his argument on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate.
3:10 pm IST
ED’s intent to humiliate, humiliate and humiliate me: Chidambaram
Abhishek Singh, representing P Chidambaram in the Supreme Court, said that the senior Congress leader was denied anticipatory bail on three grounds- absconding and tampering with evidence, flight risk and non-cooperation.
“If I wanted to tamper with evidence I could have done it between 2007 and 2017, I was also in power till 2014,” Chidambram told the apex court.
The Enforce Directorate’s objective is to humiliate, humiliate and humiliate me minute by minute daily, he added.
3:00 pm IST
Abhishek Singhvi alleges Delhi HC judge was “biased”
Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for P Chidambaram, alleged that the Delhi high court judge, who declined the senior Congress leader’s anticipatory bail plea, was biased.
“ Time has come to recommend to the Parliament to suitably amend the law and do away with anticipatory bail provision for high profile people in economic offences” he read out from the judge’s statement.
2:45 pm IST
Singhvi questions Delhi HC’s choice of word ‘grave’ for accusations against Chidambaram
Abhishek Singhvi, who is representing P Chidambaram, continued to assail the Delhi High Court’s order that rejected bail to the senior Congress leader. He also questioned the high court judge’s choice of words, underlining that the judge had, more than once, described the accusation against Chidambaram as “grave”.
That usage, Singhvi argued, was “had subjective element” to the word grave. “What is grave for one may be less grave for another, so the best and only test of gravity of offence is the period of sentence prescribed by the legislature,” Singhvi argued.
Singhvi argued that the offence that Chidambaram is alleged to have committed was punishable with a jail term of seven years or less. In the criminal procedure code, he said, only offences that carry a punishment of seven years or more are considered grave.
2:32 pm IST
‘I’m politically exposed person’: Karti Chidambaram
Former finance minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram slammed media reports about his alleged undeclared assets.
“My assets are all duly accounted for and disclosed in all statutory filings. I have contested two elections, one successfully. I am obligated to publicly declare my assets and I have done so,” news agency IANS quoted Karti Chidambaram as saying in a statement.
“Let me remind you that I am liable for disqualification from Parliament if I have misstated my assets,” he said.
Sarcastically, he called himself a “Politically Exposed Person”, the news agency reported.
2:14 pm IST
‘I didn’t say to hell with you’: Chidambaram’s lawyer
On allegations of being “evasive” during CBI interrogation, Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for former finance minister P Chidambaram, said “I haven’t said to hell with you, I will not answer your question.”
So, he (Chidambaram) was not being evasive, he said.
2:02 pm IST
What is INX media case
The INX media case is related to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance that was given to the INX Media group for foreign investment to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was the finance minister back then.
In 2017, an FIR was registered by the CBI on May 15. The FIR alleged irregularities in the manner the clearance was given.
The Enforcement Directorate filed a money-laundering case later.
1:40 pm IST
CBI wants to ‘unravel the larger conspiracy’
The CBI on Monday sought extension of former finance minister P Chidambaram’s custody in order to “unravel the larger conspiracy,” the agency was quoting as saying by ANI.
A special court in Delhi yesterday extended Chidambaram’s remand period by four days in connection with the INX media case.
12:46 pm IST
I can answer whatever I like, not what ED wants: Chidambaram
Countering the Solicitor General’s claim that Chidambaram’s replies during the interrogation were “evasive”, Abhishek Singhvi , appearing for the senior Congress leader said, “so long as I am available, I can give whatever answer I like and not what ED wants.”
12:36 pm IST
You are trying to paint a person as a kingpin: Singhvi
“You are trying to paint a person as a kingpin, when the alleged crime was not an offence,” Singhvi argued for Chidambaram in the Supreme Court.
12:25 pm IST
PMLA Act cannot be applied retrospectively: Singhvi
P Chidambaram’s lawyer Abhishek Singhvi argued that the PMLA Act cannot be applied retrospectively. Singhvi said that the alleged acts took place in 2007-08 before the PMLA Act was amended in 2009.
12:10 pm IST
We should get transcript of interrogation: Chidambaram lawyer
“We have filed an application that transcripts of all the interrogations should be produced,” Chidambaram’s lawyer Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court.
12:05 pm IST
Hearing in Supreme Court begins
Referring to the documents provided by ED in a sealed cover to the Supreme Court, Abhishek Singhvi appearing for former finance minister P Chidambaram, said that if ED has in the documents put out certain questions to the Congress leader then it must also be shown what answers he gave.
“Sec 16 of MISA can’t be read down, such disclosure to court alone and not to detune will bring in arbitrariness,” Singhvi argued.
11:46 am IST
Chidambaram in CBI custody for 3 more days
In the INX media case, a Delhi court on Monday extended former finance minister P Chidambaram’s CBI custody by four days until August 30.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court had dismissed the senior Congress leader’s appeal against a Delhi high court order rejecting his petition seeking protection from arrest in the INX Media case.
11:30 am IST
Ex-NITI Aayog CEO face to face with P Chidambaram
Former NITI Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar on Monday
arrived at the CBI headquarters on Monday morning but the questioning could not be completed as Chidambaram had to be taken to a special court. The probe agency is expected to continue questioning her on Tuesday.
11:21 am IST
‘Infructuous’: SC rejected Chidambaram plea for pre-arrest bail
Terming it “infructuous,” the Supreme Court had on Monday rejected senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’splea for pre-arrest bail in the CBI case.
11:10 am IST
SC to hear Chidambaram’s plea against CBI remand till August 26
Former finance minister P Chidambaram has filed a fresh plea against the order passed by the trial court on August 22 that sent him to CBI custody till 26 August. The apex court will hear the petition today.
