Court issues notice to ED on Chidambaram's plea seeking to surrender in INX money laundering case

A Delhi court Thursday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea by former finance minister P Chidambaram seeking to surrender in the INX Media money laundering case.

Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar sought response from the agency and directed it to file its reply by September 12.

"Let notice of the application be issued to ED," the judge said.

The court sent him to judicial custody till September 19.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court denied him anticipatory bail in the case saying that granting him relief would "hamper the investigation" and the ED has to be given "sufficient freedom" in conducting the probe.

The apex court, which held that this is "not a fit case" to grant relief to Chidambaram, said economic offences stand as a different class as they affect "economic fabric of the society" and "extraordinary power" of granting anticipatory bail has to be exercised sparingly in such cases.