INX case: Court allows ED to arrest P Chidambaram

A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed a plea by the Enforcement Directorate to arrest of former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the money laundering case registered in connection with the FIPB approval to the INX media group.

Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar granted permission to the investigating agency to conduct custodial interrogation of the accused senior Congress leader.

Chidambaram is at present lodged in Tihar jail here after having been arrested by the CBI on August 21.

The trial court's order came on a day when the Supreme Court heard arguments by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and A M Singhvi on behalf of Chidambaram against the Delhi High Court's order rejecting his bail plea in the separate FIR lodged by the CBI in May 2017 in connection with the INX media case.

The Delhi's Rouse Avenue court had earlier issued a production warrant against Chidambaram, directing the Tihar jail authorities to present the senior Congress leader before the court for October 14.

The Enforcement Directorate, in its plea, contended that it wanted to quiz the Rajya Sabha MP for 17 alleged bank accounts.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, submitted the investigating officer had earlier not shown willingness to arrest Chidambaram but after recording statements of 12 witnesses, it was appropriate to seek custody of the accused.

He also said the custodial interrogation of the accused would help the investigating agency to "unravel the laundering of the proceeds of the crime, which have crossed the border of the country and have been parked in foreign countries."