The Supreme Court said that P Chidambaram's plea challenging the custodian remand ordered by a special CBI court will be listed for a hearing on Monday, August 26. The top court will also hear Chidambaram's plea against the Delhi High Court's order dismissing his anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media corruption case. The CBI court on Thursday granted the probe agency four days of custody of Chidambaram for questioning in the INX Media case. The court allowed his petition against the ED to be argued today. Here are the live updates:
1.10 PM: The ED lawyer said, "Chidambaram is being evasive, people of his intelligence will not reveal details under court protection. He cannot be arrested by ED till at least Monday since he is in CBI Custody, no need for SC to grant him interim protection from ED."
1.08 PM: Mehta further said, “We have identified 17 overseas accounts that are linked directly or indirectly to P Chidambaram and have also identified 10 overseas properties linked to Chidambaram.”
1.05 PM: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, told the SC that Indrani Mukherjea has issued a statement to the CBI that she met Chidambaram and was assured of an FIPB nod. “We have proof of money being transferred digitally through shell companies of people associated with Chidambaram.”
12.31 PM: The top court said the petition against the Enforcement Directorate can be argued now.
12.25 PM: Chidambaram’s petition against the CBI custodial remand will be listed on August 26 in the Supreme Court. The Congress leader’s petition against the CBI will also be heard on Monday.
11:32 AM: Chidambaram would be spending his next three nights in the plush CBI headquarters on Lodhi Road during the police remand, but his stay in his expected judicial custody would be rather harsh. Tentative arrangements are being chalked out at Tihar jail, once the CBI custody of the high-profile prisoner ends. Highly placed sources in the Tihar jail told IANS that Chidambaram, in all probability, is expected to be sent to jail once his CBI remand is done. Sources said as of now, Chidambaram, if not granted bail in coming weeks, would be lodged in Jail No 7 meant for economic offenders.
10:55 AM: Justice Sunil Gaur, who passed the order denying anticipatory bail to Chidambaram and businessman Ratul Puri, retired on Thursday. A full court reference was addressed to Justice Gaur who also handled the trial in sensational Shivani Bhatnagar murder case.
10:23 AM: Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal today took a swipe at the government, saying the "economy is in ICU" and the Modi dispensation has issued a “look out notice" for all those defending civil liberties. "The events of the last few weeks have shown that both, the economy and the cause of liberty, need a stimulus package," said Sibal, who also represented Chidambaram in court. "The economy is in ICU and government has issued a 'look out notice' for all those defending civil liberties," he said in a tweet.
10:15 AM: Chidambaram said in a Delhi court: "On June 6, 2018, please ask for the transcript.. there is no question which has not been answered. The allegation of USD 5 million whatever was never put before me. Only question. They only asked if I had a foreign (bank) account, I said no. I was then asked if my son had (foreign bank account) to which I said yes 'My son has with the RBI's permission'," he told the court.
10:13 AM: A request that former P Chidambaram be allowed to make a brief submission was granted by a Delhi court, despite strong objection from the CBI. Soon after arguments on custodial interrogation got over, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was appearing for Chidambaram, sought permission from special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar that his client be allowed to speak as he wants to throw some light on the questions being asked by the CBI during interrogation.
10:11 AM: The special CBI court here on Thursday granted the probe agency four days of custody of former Union Minister P. Chidambaram for questioning in the INX Media case. Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar announced the order after reserving it for some time following the custodial hearing.
The former finance minister is accused of granting FIPB clearance for foreign direct investment (FDI) to INX Media when he was the Finance Minister during the UPA government, in exchange for alleged bribes paid to his son Karti Chidambaram.
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