Former finance minister P Chidambaram has been sent to Tihar jail till September 19 for his alleged involvement in the INX Media case on Thursday. The Delhi Court had earlier declined his request to free him on bail. In a last-ditch effort to convince the judge to keep Chidambaram out of Tihar jail, his legal team had minutes earlier even offered his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate which could take him into custody to question him.

The verdict was pronounced by Special CBI judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar.

Chidambaram was arrested from his Jor Bagh house of August 21 after the Delhi HC rejected the former home minister’s request for an anticipatory bail in two cases being investigated by CBI and ED. The apex court apprised Chidambaram’s legal team that an anticipatory bail can frustrate the investigation and maintained that custodial interrogation is necessary in this case.

Highlights:

6:21 pm IST “Only worried about the economy,” says Chidambaram on court order Minutes after he was sent to judicial custody by Delhi Court, P Chidambram says that he is only worried about the economy. Chidambaram was asked about his take on the verdict.





5:40 pm IST Chidambaram to get separate cell with western washroom The court allowed him to carry his medicines to jail and directed that he be kept in a separate cell in Tihar prison as he was a protectee under Z-security. The court has allowed the requests subject to the jail manual.





5:37 PM IST P Chidambaram sent to Tihar jail till Sept 19 by Delhi court in INX Media case Rouse Avenue Court sends P Chidambaram to Tihar jail where he will spend 14 days in judicial custody in connection with the INX Media corruption case. Delhi: Rouse Avenue Court sends Congress leader & former Finance Minister P Chidambaram to judicial custody till September 19 in a case being probed by CBI in INX Media case. pic.twitter.com/ULL9R8K2Qy — ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2019





4:00 PM IST ‘Just to humiliate me’: Chidambaram opposes CBI push to send him to Tihar “Why should I be sent to judicial custody? The CBI has had the remand for 15 days. I can surrender and ED can take my custody. But I should not be sent to JC, it is basically humiliation”, says Chidambaram and prompts Sibal to cite a certain judgment. INX media case: P Chidambaram's lawyer Kapil Sibal says in Court, "As far as CBI is concerned why should I (P Chidambaram) be sent to judicial custody? They've asked all questions. I'm willing to go to ED’s custody. I should not be sent to judicial custody." — ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2019





3:50 PM IST Chidambaram produced before Delhi Court in INX Media case, seeks bail Chidambaram produced in the trial court at the end of his CBI custody.





3:48 PM IST The allegations against the accused is not of grave magnitude: Court while granting bail to Chidambaram The court while granting bail to Chidambaram said, that the allegations against the accused is not of grave magnitude as the amount of bribe/ laundered money is only Rs 1,13,65,125 which is paltry amount in comparison to the allegations against Dayanidhi Maran and others, where the amount of bribe/ laundered money is Rs 749 crore but he was not arrested.” The judge said, that the court should not discriminate between two similarly situated accused, as it is against the rule of law.





3:00 PM IST No connection to Aircel, had an Aircel sim though: Karti Chidambaram “As I have been saying it’s a non case. Been dragged into only due to political vendetta. I have no connection to Aircel Maxis or to FIPB. I had an Aircel sim though and in time this INX bogey will also be slayed,” tweeted Karti Chidambaram.





2:32 PM IST Special judge accounted ‘unexplained delay in investigation’ In a 28-page order, the judge said he had accounted for the time gap between the commission of the alleged offence and the application and “unexplained delay in investigation” in reaching the decision to grant pre-arrest bail. The judge concluded there was no possibility of Chidambaram and his son tampering with evidence, threatening witnesses, fleeing or committing a similar crime again. “I am satisfied that it is a fit case for grant of anticipatory bail,” Saini ruled.





2:27 PM IST Special judge OP Saini said the two would be released on Rs 1 lakh bail bond in case they were arrested Special judge OP Saini said the two would be released on Rs 1 lakh bail bond in case any of the two agencies arrested them in this case. The pre-arrest bail comes as a huge reprieve for the former finance minister who has been in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation for 15 days in the INX Media case and could be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate next. Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail request against arrest by the ED was turned down by the Supreme Court earlier in the day.





2:10 PM IST ‘Believe that case is born out of political vendetta’: Karti Chidambaram Karti Chidambaram meets his father and says that there is a long way to go but he says that there are legal options which can be availed.





2:08 PM IST Anticipatory bail to P Chidambaram and Karti Chidambaram in Aircel Maxis case Anticipatory bail to P Chidambaram and Karti Chidambaram in Aircel Maxis case on a bail bond of RS 1 lakh. Directed to join the application as and when called.





1:42 PM IST CBI, ED urge Delhi court to defer order on anticipatory bail requests by P Chidambaram and his son Karti in the Aircel Maxis case CBI, ED urge Delhi court to defer order on anticipatory bail pleas by P Chidambaram, son in Aircel Maxis cases, according to PTI. . The judge was scheduled to pronounce the order on at 2 pm.





11:27 AM IST P Chidambaram withdraws his appeal P Chidambaram withdraws his appeal challenging the CBI remand. The former finance minister withdrew his appeal from the Court where he had challenged trial court’s order of sending him to custody.





10:55 AM IST SC court asks Chidambaram to move regular bail plea Supreme Court says P Chidambaram can move regular bail application before the trial court. SC court also said that ED need not show evidence to the former finance minister. ED is also seeking Chidambaram’s custody in relation to money laundering cases.





10:43 AM IST SC says granting anticipatory bail in ED case may frustrate investigation Apex court maintains that economic offences are on a different footing and the approach has to be different, declining Chidambaram’s request from protection from ED’s arrest. SC also says that this case investigating agency has to be given enough freedom to probe





10:40 AM IST SC can peruse the documents in sealed covers to consider bail SC says it won’t do this on this case in order to not prejudice the accused case. Apex court accepts agency’s contention that custodial interrogation necessary. The apex court denies P Chidambaram his bail plea where he had sought protection from arrest.





10:34 AM IST Supreme Court refuses P Chidambaram’s bail plea SC refuses P Chidambaram’s bail plea in money laundering case. SC accepted ED’s contentions that custodial interrogation is needed in this case. P Chidambaram had requested protection from ED’s arrest in the INX media and FIPB approval case.





10:32 AM IST Court rejects his contention that case diaries can’t be perused while anticipatory bail is being heard. ED wanted the court to peruse the diaries before deciding on his anticipatory bail plea. The Enforcement Directorate has accused the former Finance Minister of money laundering in a case involving INX media.



