INX Media money laundering case: Court sends P Chidambaram to ED custody till Oct 24

A Delhi court on Thursday sent former finance minister P Chidambaram for custodial interrogation by the ED till October 24 in the INX Media money laundering case "to facilitate proper investigation in the case to reach a logical end".

Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar allowed the Enforcement Directorate to quiz Chidambaram for seven days.

The court permitted the request of Chidambaram that he be allowed a separate cell, home-cooked food, western toilet, medicines, spectacles and visit by his family members and lawyers half and hour daily, after the ED did not oppose it.

The court also directed the ED to get him medically examined every 48 hours and to produce him on October 24.

Chidambaram was interrogated and arrested on Wednesday in Tihar.

In its order, the court noted that the case was being conducted consistently and some witnesses had been examined since September 6 and fresh material brought on record.

"Interrogation is the prerogative of the investigating officer. It is for him to decide when a person is to arrested and when custodial interrogation will be required so that it proves fruitful. Courts give due regard to the discretion of IO about the manner in which he will conduct the investigation," it said.

The court noted that the IO never approached it for examination of the accused while he was in the custody of the court in the CBI matter.

"The witnesses which have been examined must have been available earlier also as the case was registered long back on May 18, 2017. These witnesses could have been examined earlier but again I would say that IO is the best person to know when to examine and which witness," the judge said, adding "the interrogation in the present ECIR (ED's equivalent to an FIR) under Prevention of Money Laundering Act justify custodial interrogation".

The judge said, "Although I am of the view that ED could have utilized the time when accused was in judicial custody in the CBI matter to examine him with regard to the material available with ED but for this reason only, I am not inclined to deny an opportunity to ED to interrogate the accused in the present case to facilitate proper investigation in the case to reach a logical end."