CBI asks Chidambaram to appear within 2 hours

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has put up a notice outside the residence of former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram asking him to appear before them in the next two hours.

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Chidambaram's both anticipatory bail pleas in connection with INX Media case.

"Whereas it appears that you are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case noted below, which I am now investigating under Chapter XII of the Code of Criminal Procedure, you are hereby directed to attend before me within two hours of the receipt of this notice for the purpose of investigation of case," read the notice to Chidambaram by investigating officer R. Parthasarathy, Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI.

"Particulars of the case: RC 11/2017/EOU-IV/EO-II under section 120-B IPC r/w Section 420 IPC and Section 8 & Section 13 (2) r/w 13 (1) (d) of P.C. Act, 1988 against M/s. INX Media (P) Ltd. / INX News (P) Ltd. and others," it added.

Initially, a team of CBI officials had reached Chidambaram's Jor Bagh residence but left after not finding him there. Shortly later, a team of ED officials also went to his residence and failed to locate him.

The officials refused to talk to a horde of media persons who sought to know whether they had come to arrest the former union minister.

The High Court rejected the former finance minister's anticipatory bail plea in the two cases filed by the CBI and the ED related to his alleged role in INX Media scam.

Chidambaram's legal team consisting of top lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi will approach the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking a stay on the High Court order.

"Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has asked us to appear before the senior-most judge of the top court in the morning tomorrow," Sibal told reporters after approaching Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in the court.