Summary:
Delhi High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Congress leader in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the INX Media scandal.
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A team of six officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation arrived at the house of former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday evening hours after Delhi High Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Congress leader in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the INX Media scandal.
And soon after CBI left congress leaders residence, ED team also reached Chidambaram`s house
Delhi: A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers arrives at the residence of P Chidambaram.
Earlier today, Delhi High Court had dismissed his both anticipatory bail pleas in connection with INX Media case.
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2019
Justice Sunil Gaur denied relief to Chidambaram.
"Both the petitions (in CBI and ED case) are dismissed," said Justice Gaur.
After the court pronounced the order, senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Chidambaram, sought a stay on the operation of the order for three days, to which the court said that it will consider the request and will pass an order on it.
Justice Sunil Gaur had reserved the decision on January 25.
During the arguments, both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had opposed Chidambaram`s plea on the ground that his custodial interrogation was required as he was evasive during questioning.
Chidambaram on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order rejecting his anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media case
The plea will now be taken up by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi`s bench on Wednesday.
Both the probe agencies had contended that during Chidambaram`s tenure as finance minister, FIPB clearance was granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007.
ED contended that the companies in which money was transferred are directly or indirectly controlled by Chidambaram`s son, Karti, and they have a reason to believe that the FIPB approval was granted to INX Media on his son`s intervention.
The high court had on July 25, 2018 granted interim protection from arrest to Chidambaram in both the cases and it was extended from time to time.
The senior Congress leader`s role had come under the scanner of various investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.
It was during his tenure as finance minister in the UPA-I government that clearances from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) were given to the two ventures.
In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram`s tenure as finance minister.