NEW DELHI, India, Aug 23 (NNN-PTI-AGENCIES) — A CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) court here on Thursday sent former finance minister of India, P.Chidambaram to custody for four days till August 26 in the INX Media corruption case.
Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar heard the arguments of the CBI and Chidambaram’s counsel for over one-and-a half-hour before announcing the order.
The CBI had sought five days of custody of P. Chidambaram, who is senior Congress opposition leader and said he was not cooperating in the investigation.
The former union minister was arrested by the CBI from his residence in New Delhi late on Wednesday in connection with the INX Media case.
The agency said Chidambaram’s custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth larger conspiracy in the INX Media case. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that grave offence was committed, and custodial interrogation was required to get answer of certain questions for effective probe.
The CBI told the court that the INX Media scam was a serious and monumental case of money laundering.
CBI filed an FIR in May 2017 over alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds of ₹305 crore in 2007, when Chidambaram was finance minister during the first term of Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.
NNN-PTI-AGENCIES
