PC fails to get reprieve from arrest from SC; dramatically appears at Cong HQ

Congress leader P Chidambaram facing arrest in the INX media case failed to get any immediate reprieve from the Supreme Court on Wednesday but made a dramatic appearance at the AICC headquarters here to profess his innocence, hours after the CBI and the ED issued a Look Out Circular to prevent him from leaving the country.

With the apex court deciding to hear only on Friday Chidambaram's petition seeking a stay on the Delhi High Court order on Tuesday that dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate(ED)--have got a free hand to arrest the former union home and finance minister.

But Chidambaram's sudden appearance in public view on Wednesday night to address a news conference after the CBI and the ED said his whereabouts were not known set off speculation about his imminent arrest. He later reached his Jor Bagh residence and shortly afterwards a CBI team too followed him.

Chidambaram, who is accused of money laundering and getting kickbacks in the INX media case, asked probe agencies to "respect" the law and wait till Friday when the Supreme Court hears his bail plea.

He also put up a strong defence of himself and his family members, saying none of them has been accused of any offence by the probe agencies.

"I am aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law," he said, rejecting allegations that he was evading investigating agencies.

He said he was working with his lawyers through the last night, preparing his papers or his bail application.

"Until Friday and beyond, let's hope the lamp of liberty will shine bright and illuminate the whole country," he said, suggesting that the probe agencies should not arrest him until the apex court decides on his bail plea.

"I will respect law even if applied with an unequal hand by probe agencies," he said reading out from a written statement and flanked by several senior Congress leaders. He did not take any questions from journalists and left the venue after finishing his statement
The ED suspects the Congress leader's role in granting alleged illegal FIPB clearances to at least four more business deals, apart from INX Media and Aircel-Maxis, and receiving multi-crore kickbacks through multiple shell firms, the sources said