Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI late on August 21, soon after he reached his Jor Bagh residence in New Delhi following a dramatic appearance at a press conference at AICC headquarters.
The team of about 30 CBI sleuths accompanied by Delhi Police officials reached the Jor Bagh residence of Mr. Chidambaram and knocked at the doors for a few minutes before scaling the boundary wall to enter the premises.
A team of ED officials also reached there.
In fast-paced events, Mr. Chidambaram, who could not be traced by the agencies since August 20 evening and failed to get any relief from the Supreme Court on August 21, appeared at the Congress headquarters at 8 p.m. where he addressed a brief press conference claiming innocence in the INX Media case.
He reached his Jor Bagh residence along with fellow Congress leaders and lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the same vehicle.
Within minutes of Mr. Chidambaram reaching his residence, the CBI sleuths arrived there.
With the apex court deciding to hear only on August 23 Mr. Chidambaram’s petition seeking a stay on the Delhi High Court order that dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate got a free hand to arrest the former Union Minister.
CBI confirms arrest
The CBI confirms that Mr. Chidambaram has been arrested. He has been arrested on an arrest warrant issued by a competent court, a CBI spokesperson says.
Politically motivated witch-hunt, says Karti Chidambaram
It’s politically motivated witch-hunt, says Karti Chidambaram on CBI action against his father Mr. P. Chidambaram. “This is an attempt at diverting attention from serious issues and theatrics and voyeurism to satisfy some people,” Mr. Karti Chidambaram says in Chennai.
ED sources say Mr. Chidambaram is arrested by the CBI. He is taken to the CBI headquarters.
The ED team headed at Mr. Chidambaram's house is headed by a Joint Director.
Protesters outside former Union Minister P. Chidambaram’s residence in New Delhi on August 21, 2019.
ED, Delhi Police teams at Chidambaram’s residence
News channels report teams of Enforcement Directorate and Delhi Police personnel are also there at Mr. Chidambaram's residence. Congress supporters shout slogans outside against the government.
Congress supporters raise slogans as they protest in support of senior party leader P. Chidambaram the outside the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on August 21, 2019.
CBI personnel scale wall to enter Chidambaram’s residence
CBI team reaches Mr. Chidambaram’s residence. As the gate remained shut for long, CBI officials scaled the boundary wall to enter the premises.
Chidambaram reaches his residence
Mr. Chidambaram reaches his Jor Bagh residence. A CBI team is on its way to Mr. Chidambaram's residence.
Highlights from Mr. Chidambaram’s statement:
“I believe that the foundation of a democracy is liberty, most precious article of the constitution is Article 21 that guarantees life and liberty. If I'm asked to choose between life and liberty, I shall unhesitatingly choose liberty.
"To win freedom we must struggle. To preserve freedom too we must struggle.
"In the INX media case I have not been accused of any offence. Nor is any one else, including any member of my family, been accused of any offence.
Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram leaves the Congress headquarters in New Delhi after addressing a press conference on August 21, 2019.
"In fact there is no charge sheet filed by either the CBI or the ED before a competent court.
"Moreover the FIR recorded by the CBI does not impute to me any wrongdoing.
"Yet there is a widespread impression that grave offences have been committed by and that my son and I have committed that offences. Nothing can be further from the truth. "These are lies spread by pathological liars.
"I was granted interim protection by the High Court.
"I was Aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law, on the contrary I was seeking the protection of the law.
"I was accused of running away from justice. On the contrary i was engaged in the pursuit of justice.
"I was working alongside my lawyers the whole of the night preparing the papers for the appeal.
"I will respect law even if applied with an unequal hand by probe agencies. Until Friday and beyond, let’s hope the lamp of liberty will shine bright and illuminate the whole country.
Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vivek Tankha and Salman Khurshid were present during the meeting. Also present were Ghulam Nabi Azad and K.C. Venugopal.
