<p>Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram was on Thursday sent to Tihar jail by a Delhi court in the INX Media corruption case.</p>.<p>Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar remanded the senior Congress leader in judicial custody till September 19 after the court refused to consider his plea to surrender before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to escape prison.</p>.<p>“The investigation of the case is still in progress. The CBI has apprehension that because of his status and position, the investigation may be hampered by the accused,” the court said.</p>.<p>“It is not a stage where the accused can be released at this stage, considering his extension of remand as submitted by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta,” it added.</p>.<p>The court directed authorities to lodge Chidambaram in a separate cell in Tihar prison as he is a protectee under ‘Z’ category. Asked for his reaction, Chidambaram, a Rajya Sabha MP, said, “I am only worried about the economy.”</p>.<p>The development came on a day of fluctuating fortunes for Chidambaram. The Congress leader’s plea for an anticipatory bail in the money laundering case registered by the ED was dismissed by the Supreme Court, while 2G Special Court granted him and his son pre-arrest bail in the Aircel-Maxis case.</p>.<p>Chidambaram, who has been in CBI custody since his arrest on August 21 in the case registered in May 2017, was produced before the special judge in the afternoon.</p>.<p>After hearing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Chidambaram’s counsel, the court said, “Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature of offences, the stage of the investigation, the accused is remanded to judicial custody.”</p>.<p>The court also issued a notice to the ED on Chidambaram’s plea to surrender and fixed the matter for hearing on September 12.</p>.<p>During the proceeding, Mehta informed the court that in view of the apex court’s order passed on Thursday, all interim protection stood withdrawn. He said there was no other option under Section 167 of the CrPC than to send the accused to judicial remand unless he was granted bail.</p>.<p>He said the accused was a powerful and influential person in public life and wielded substantial influence over the witnesses, which could lead to tampering of the evidence.</p>
<p>Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram was on Thursday sent to Tihar jail by a Delhi court in the INX Media corruption case.</p>.<p>Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar remanded the senior Congress leader in judicial custody till September 19 after the court refused to consider his plea to surrender before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to escape prison.</p>.<p>“The investigation of the case is still in progress. The CBI has apprehension that because of his status and position, the investigation may be hampered by the accused,” the court said.</p>.<p>“It is not a stage where the accused can be released at this stage, considering his extension of remand as submitted by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta,” it added.</p>.<p>The court directed authorities to lodge Chidambaram in a separate cell in Tihar prison as he is a protectee under ‘Z’ category. Asked for his reaction, Chidambaram, a Rajya Sabha MP, said, “I am only worried about the economy.”</p>.<p>The development came on a day of fluctuating fortunes for Chidambaram. The Congress leader’s plea for an anticipatory bail in the money laundering case registered by the ED was dismissed by the Supreme Court, while 2G Special Court granted him and his son pre-arrest bail in the Aircel-Maxis case.</p>.<p>Chidambaram, who has been in CBI custody since his arrest on August 21 in the case registered in May 2017, was produced before the special judge in the afternoon.</p>.<p>After hearing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Chidambaram’s counsel, the court said, “Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature of offences, the stage of the investigation, the accused is remanded to judicial custody.”</p>.<p>The court also issued a notice to the ED on Chidambaram’s plea to surrender and fixed the matter for hearing on September 12.</p>.<p>During the proceeding, Mehta informed the court that in view of the apex court’s order passed on Thursday, all interim protection stood withdrawn. He said there was no other option under Section 167 of the CrPC than to send the accused to judicial remand unless he was granted bail.</p>.<p>He said the accused was a powerful and influential person in public life and wielded substantial influence over the witnesses, which could lead to tampering of the evidence.</p>
