Delhi HC adjourns hearing in ED plea challenging trial court's order granting bail to P Chidambaram

The Delhi High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing for January 17 in the plea of Enforcement Directorate (ED), challenging the trial court order which had granted bail to former Union Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram.

Earlier on September 5, the trial court had granted anticipatory bail to the former Union Minister and his son Karti in connection with the Aircel-Maxis cases filed by both the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Trial court judge OP Saini, while passing the judgement, had observed that the entire evidence related to the commission of the crime by the two accused was documentary in nature and is not liable to be tampered with by both the accused.

Both the accused are Members of Parliament and P Chidambaram is also the former Finance and Home Minister of the country. Considering these factors there is no apparent possibility of the accused fleeing from justice, said the court.

The special court said that agencies have also not cited any appreciable reason for such apprehension.

"Also there is no possibility of accused committing any similar crime again as they are not holding any official position in the government at present. The witnesses are also from DoT, Ministry of Finance and banks and as such there is no possibility of them being threatened or influenced by any of the accused," said the court.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, Abhishekh Manu Singhvi, and advocate Arshdeep Singh appeared for Chidambaram. ASG KM Natraj, senior advocate Sonia Mathur, Naveen Kumar Matta, and Nitesh Rana were the counsel for the CBI and the ED.