Supreme Court extends P Chidambaram custody

New Delhi: Trouble continues to brew for former finance minister P. Chidambaram as the Supreme Court refused on Monday to entertain his plea challenging the Delhi high court order which had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media case filed by the CBI. The court said that Mr Chidambaram’s plea against the August 20 high court order had become infructuous and he would have to seek regular bail before the CBI special court.

Hours after the court’s decision, the former minister was produced before the CBI special court on the expiry of his four-day custodial interrogation. The trial court on Monday extended his CBI custody by four more days. He will be produced before the court again on August 30.

Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar gave the order on the CBI’s demand for extension of his custody by five days after hearing arguments for nearly 40 minutes.

“He has been confronted with one of the co-accused. The accused is to be confronted with other accused persons as well. It is also submitted that certain files have to be shown on the transactions of INX Media,” solicitor-general Tushar Mehta said. The court allowed his family members and lawyers to meet him for half an hour daily during the CBI custody. Mr Chidambaram’s wife Nalini and son Karti were also present in the court.

Earlier on Monday, hearing Mr Chidambaram’s plea, the apex court said, “he is at a liberty to seek remedy in accordance with the law in the corruption case”.

A bench comprising Justices R. Banumathi and A.S. Bopanna, however extended till Tuesday the interim protection from arrest given to Mr Chidambaram in the INX Media case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.