PC's case shows betryal of public trust: CBI

The CBI on Friday contended before the Delhi High Court that former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram by indulging in the INX Media corruption case had committed "gravest case of economic offences" in a “betrayal of public trust at large”.

In its written reply to Chidambaram's bail plea, the CBI said that the gravity of offences committed by him for which he is being investigated does not entitle him to seek any relief, which would not only be against the "zero tolerance policy on corruption" but would also be setting a very wrong precedence in all corruption cases.

Chidambaram, who was arrested on August 21 by the CBI from his Jor Bagh residence here, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody till October 3.

His bail plea, in which he has claimed that the criminal proceedings against him were "mala fide" and borne out of "political vendetta", is listed for further hearing before Justice Suresh Kait on September 23.

The agency said that there is overwhelming evidence against the Congress leader and a strong case is made out against him by the agency.

"The facts of the case, the gravity of the offence, the magnitude of financial embezzlement, the brazenness and the impunity with which the high public office was misused by the accused/petitioner while commissioning the present offence further disentitles him to seek grant of relief from this court," the CBI said in its reply.

Chidambaram poses a serious flight risk and there was a possibility of him evading the process of law, the CBI said, adding that everyone who evaded law in the past also had strong roots in India.

In similar cases related to economic offence of this magnitude, the accused (Vijay Mallya) had also held high public office, as well as, huge business empires but evaded the process of law by fleeing from the country, it said.

The CBI claimed the investigation revealed that Chidambaram, as the finance minister, had demanded illegal gratification and the payments were made in India and overseas to him and his accused son Karti.