The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted former Union Minister P. Chidambaram interim protection from arrest till July 3 in the INX Media corruption case lodged by the CBI.
Justice A.K. Pathak, however, told Mr. Chidambaram to cooperate in the investigation as and when called by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The High Court also sought a reply from the CBI on the senior Congress leader’s anticipatory bail plea and listed the case to July 3.
Opposes pleaADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, opposed the plea saying Mr. Chidambaram should have first approached the trial court for relief, instead of the High Court.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Salman Khurshid, appearing for Mr. Chidambaram, assured the court that the Congress leader would cooperate with the investigating agency.
Mr. Chidambaram was to appear before the CBI on Thursday for questioning in connection with the INX Media corruption case. However, he did not appear, officials said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alleges harassment
In his anticipatory bail plea, Mr. Chidambaram contended that he was being harassed in the case in which he was not named as an accused or a suspect in the FIR.
“The petitioner [Mr. Chidambaram] further apprehends his arrest because of the circumstances under which his son was arrested,” the petition said, adding that his son Karti Chidambaram was arrested despite fully cooperating with the investigation and even appearing before the CBI whenever required.
Mr. Chidambaram said the present case is “mala fide and is borne out of political vendetta.” He alleged that the investigating agency was acting at the behest of the Central government, which wanted to malign his “untainted and unimpeachable reputation.”
FIR registered
In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15 last year against alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of ₹ 305 crore in 2007 when Mr. Chidambaram was Finance Minister.
The CBI had in February arrested Mr. Karti Chidambaram at Chennai airport on allegations that he had demanded and accepted $1 million for scuttling a possible probe against INX Media for violation of FIPB conditions in 2007. Mr. Karti was released on bail.
The CBI had said INX Media former director Indrani Mukerjea — facing prosecution along with husband Peter Mukerjea for the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora — claimed that Mr. Karti demanded and accepted the amount. The deal was struck at Delhi’s Hyatt, the agency had said.