Manmohan Singh expresses concern over Chidambaram's continued detention in custody

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi went to Tihar jail on Monday to meet party leader P Chidambaram lodged there in connection with the INX Media case, has expressed concern over his continued detention in custody and hoped courts will render justice in the case.

In a statement, Singh said that a dozen officers including six Secretaries to the government examined and recommended the proposal, which was signed by Chidambaram as Finance Minister and all decisions are collective and recorded.

"We are concerned with the continued detention in custody of our colleague P Chidambaram. In our system of government, no decision can be taken by any single person. All decisions are collective decisions recorded in files. A dozen officers, including six Secretaries to the government, examined and recommended the proposal. Minister Chidambaram approved the unanimous recommendation," said Singh.

He said that if a minister is liable for approving a recommendation, the whole system of governance would collapse.

"If the officers were not at fault, it is beyond our comprehension of how the minister, who simply approved the recommendation, can be accused of committing an offence. If the minister is liable for approving a recommendation, the whole system of government will collapse," he said.

"We are confident, and we sincerely hope, that the courts will render justice in this case," Singh said.

Chidambaram, an accused in INX Media case, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 and is at present in judicial custody in Tihar Jail.

He is facing a probe by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when he was the Union finance minister.

A Delhi court on Thursday extended Chidambaram's judicial custody till October 3 in the corruption case filed by the CBI.