The Supreme Court issued notice on Friday to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a petition filed by Congres politician P Chidambaram seeking bail in a corruption case registered against him in connection with approval given to INX Media Private Limited to receive overseas investment to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007, when he was the finance minister.
Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on August 21, and has been in CBI custody and jail.
A bench led by justice R Banumathi fixed October 15 as the next date of hearing on the petition. CBI was told to file its response on or before that date.
When asked how much time the petitioner will require to argue the matter, Chidambaram's lawyer, senior counsel Kapil Sibal, said: " Not more than 15 minutes. It's a matter regarding regular bail."
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also appeared for Chidambaram.
Initially, the bench wanted to have the matter heard on October 14. But on a joint request by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Singhvi, it was posted for October 15. Chidambaram's counsel did not press for any interim order until the next hearing.
In his short submission, Sibal pointed to the Delhi high court verdict that denied bail to Chidambaram in the case and said the judge had applied a triple test while deciding on the former minister's petition for release.
While the HC admitted that Chidambaram was not a flight risk and that he would not tamper with documents, it accepted the CBI's contention that the senior Congress leader was capable of influencing witnesses, Sibal said.
Justice Banumathi asked him about the status of the ED money laundering case in the INX Media deal. Sibal informed the bench that ED was yet to arrest Chidambaram in that matter. The judge then said she would hear the arguments at length
"The matter is listed in front of the Supreme Court and we can only hope that someone who has been the home minister, the finance minister and an imminent senior counsel, who has been unnecessarily persecuted in a completely fabricated manner would get justice," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.
On Thursday, a Delhi court extended Chidambaram's judicial custody till October 17.