article main image
INX Media case: Order reserved on ED's plea to arrest P. ChidambaramBy Live Mint

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court on Monday reserved its order on the applications of arrest and custody moved by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering and corruption case of INX Media.

Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar will pronounce the order at 4 pm.

"I will pass orders on the applications tomorrow," special judge said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the probe agency, told special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar that there is a finding by the Supreme Court that custodial interrogation of Chidambaram is necessary.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for P. Chidambaram opposed the custody sought by the probe agency.

He submitted that the first information report (FIR) was registered by CBI and ECIR was registered by Enforcement Directorate (ED) are based on the same transaction. As long as the transaction is same, the offences may be different, there cannot be an extension of remand beyond a period of 15 days.

"CBI has already sought his custody for investigating payment and companies abroad, which the ED wants to probe now," he argued.

Solicitor General further argued that money laundering in an independent and standalone offence. It doesn't form part of same transaction. It is a separate offence. The root may be the predicate offence.

The court on Friday had issued production warrant for P. Chidambaram on a plea by Enforcement Directorate seeking his custody in the INX Media money laundering case. The senior Congress leader is currently in judicial custody in the case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

It was submitted by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the custodial interrogation would help the investigating agency to unravel the laundering of proceed of the crime which have crossed the border of the country and have been parked in foreign countries.

The special court on 3 October extended the judicial custody of Chidambaram till 17 October in the case filed by the CBI.

The Delhi High Court had on 30 September dismissed the bail plea of the veteran Congress leader in the money laundering and corruption case related to INX Media. Justice Suresh Kait had then said Chidambaram was not a flight risk but can possibly influence witnesses.

The Central Bureau of Investigation registered an FIR in May 2017 for alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of ₹305 crore in 2007, when Chidambaram was the finance minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-1 government. Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering cases against him