Sonia, Manmohan meet Chidambaram at Tihar, express concern over his continued detention

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday met P Chidambaram at Tihar Jail, and expressed concern over his continued detention in custody.

Singh said he hoped the courts would render justice in Chidambaram's case.

Chidambaram, a former Union finance minister, was arrested on August 21 by the CBI for alleged corruption in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance in the INX Media case.

He was later remanded in judicial custody and sent to Tihar Jail on September 5.

Singh said no decision in the country was taken by a single person and wondered how a minister simply approving recommendations can be accused of committing a crime.

He feared that if a minister is liable for approving a recommendation, the whole system of government in the country will collapse.

"We are concerned with continued detention in custody of our colleague P Chidambaram," Singh said in a statement after meeting Chidambaram.

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

Singh said in the country's system of government, no decision can be taken by any single person and all decisions are collective decisions recorded in files.

He said a dozen officers, including six secretaries to the government, examined and recommended the proposal and Chidambaram as minister approved the unanimous recommendation.

"If the officers are not at fault, it is beyond our comprehension 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.

Singh and Gandhi were accompanied by Karti Chidambaram, the former finance minister's son who is also a Lok Sabha MP, during their meeting with Chidambaram.

"I am honoured that Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh called on me today. As long as the Congress party is strong and brave, I will also be strong and brave," Chidambaram's family tweeted on his behalf and said he was honoured that the two leaders visited him.

He also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "everything is fine in India" remark, saying, "Bharat mai sab achha hai. Except for unemployment, loss of existing jobs, lower wages, mob violence, lockdown in Kashmir and throwing Opposition leaders in prison."