NEW DELHI: After spending 55 days in CBI and judicial custody in the INX Media corruption case, former finance minister P Chidambaram now faces the prospect of arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after a city court allowed his interrogation in Tihar jail here on Wednesday in a related money laundering matter.
The order by Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar on Tuesday comes just two days before the judicial custody of the 74-year-old Congress veteran was set to expire in the corruption case filed by the CBI.
Since his arrest on August 21, Chidambaram has till Tuesday spent 55 days in custody, in the CBI as well as judicial, in nine spells. Judge Kuhar allowed the ED to interrogate Chidambaram in Tihar jail on Wednesday, and arrest him, if necessary, in connection with the INX Media money laundering case. The judge said three ED officials can interrogate him after 8:30 am and asked the jail superintendent to make necessary arrangements. The judge, who allowed the plea of the ED seeking permission to quiz Chidambaram, also rejected the Congress leader’s plea seeking to recall the production warrant issued against him.
After the court passed the order, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Special Public Prosecutor Amit Mahajan, appearing for the ED, sought permission to question Chidambaram in some space available in the same Rouse Avenue court premises. The court, however, said: “It’s not in the dignity of this person that you interrogate and arrest him here in public view.”
Fighting another legal battle, Chidambaram on Tuesday sought bail from the Supreme Court in the corruption case, saying the CBI wants to keep him in custody to humiliate him. The court will hear on Wednesday the arguments of Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Chidambaram, told the bench headed by Justice R Banumathi that there were no allegations against him or his family members having ever tried to approach or influence any witness in the case. (PTI)
