Former finance minister P Chidambaram being taken to Tihar jail in connection with the INX Media corruption ca... Read More



NEW DELHI: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram to remain in jail as the Delhi high court on Thursday extended his judicial custody to October 17 in connection with the INX Media corruption case. He was produced before the high court on expiry of his judicial custody.

During his custody, the court allowed Chidambaram to have home cooked food once a day. The 74-year-old sought home cooked food in Tihar jail citing medical ailments.

Earlier in the day, Chidambaram also moved the Supreme Court seeking bail in the corruption case. The Congress leader has moved the top court challenging the high court's September 30 verdict dismissing his bail plea.

The high court had dismissed the bail petition with hard-hitting remarks that it cannot be disputed if the case is proved against Chidambaram, the offence is on society, economy, financial stability and integrity of the country.

Chidambaram is not a "flight risk" and there is no chance of tampering with evidence but he can influence the witnesses if granted bail, it had said.

Chidambaram is in custody since his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence.

The high court, in its bail order, had said that from the material it seemed that FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) Unit prepared a proposal for FDI (foriegn direct investment) of Rs 4.62 crore, about 46.21 per cent of the equity and the same was passed granting approval to INX Media.

However, instead of Rs 4.62 crore, INX Media brought FDI of Rs 403 crore without any approval for the same, it had noted.

Chidambaram was home minister as also finance minister during the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.

Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.

The high court had said that as per documents filed by the CBI in a sealed cover, it was revealed during investigation that INX Media's former promoters Indrani and Peter Mukherjea had allegedly met Chidambaram even prior to the filing of application before FIPB Unit.

He had "assured them regarding the FIPB approval and in lieu thereof, directed that the 'business interest' of his son Karti Chidambaram, who is also an accused, should be taken care of and certain overseas transactions should made in his favour," the court had noted as said in the CBI's report.

The court had said it was on record that illegal gratification has been paid by and through other companies by Indrani and Peter to the firms controlled and owned by the "co-conspirator and co-accused Karti".

(With PTI inputs)



In Video: INX Media case: Chidambaram's judicial custody extended till Oct 17