INX Media case: P Chidambaram to remain in CBI custody till Sept 5

Former finance minister P Chidambaram was remanded on Tuesday to two more days of CBI custody by a Delhi court in the INX Media corruption case.

He will remain in the custody till September 5, as the Supreme Court ordered earlier in the day.

Chidambaram, 73, was produced before Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar on expiry of his one day CBI custody.

The judge was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Chidambaram's counsel that the apex court has passed an order today that he will be in CBI custody till September 5.

The judge took note of the Supreme Court order and ordered Chidambaram's CBI custody till Thursday.

"The order passed by the Supreme Court today has been downloaded by the staff from the official website (Supreme Court). The Solicitor General has told the court about the order. In view of the above, I deem it appropriate that CBI custody (of Chidambaram) shall remain till September 5.

"The accused to remain in CBI custody and be produced on September 5," the judge said.

Chidambaram's counsel said they are not pressing for interim bail now and it has been renotified for Thursday.

Just an hour after the apex court ordered that Chidambaram will be in the CBI custody till Thursday, he was produced before the trial court.

Chidambaram has been already subjected to custodial interrogation by the CBI for 12 days since his arrest on August 21, after the Delhi High Court on August 20 dismissed his anticipatory bail plea.

His wife Nalini and son Karti were also present in the court.

Chidambaram, who was Union home minister as also finance minister during the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence. He was earlier produced before the court on August 22 and was remanded to four-day CBI custody.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as the finance minister.

Thereafter, the Enforcement Directorate lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.