Karti sent to three-day CBI remand

A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Tuesday sent Karti Chidambaram to three more days of CBI custody in the INX Media case.

Now, the arguments on Karti's bail plea will be heard by the Special CBI court on March 9.

This was a second blow to the former Finance Minister P Chidamabaram's son as earlier in the day the Supreme Court had refused to stop the Enforcement Directorate, another central agency, from arresting Karti.

Karti was arrested on February 28 from Chennai by the CBI and on March 1, he was sent to the CBI custody till March 6.

The Special CBI court extended custody of Karti on the application of the CBI, which said Karti's interrogation is actually needed in order to serve some important and specific purposes connected with completion of investigation in the case.

Earlier, Karti's counsel and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi opposed CBI's application in the court.

Later talking to media outside the court, Singhvi said, "I have argued that the CBI has not given a single ground or written a single reason in its application for further remand. The CBI has already interrogated Karti for last five days and there is no need of further custody."

He added that the CBI gave no reasons in the court but kept repeating orally that it has to interrogate Karti.

Singhvi also countered the CBI's claim that Karti is not co-operating and is being evasive.

Karti is accused of receiving kickbacks a decade back to clear foreign investment into INX Media group, using the influence of his father P. Chidambaram, who was then the Union finance minister.