The Delhi High Court rejected senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s petition for an anticipatory bail in the INX Media case on Tuesday and thus has opened up the possibility of his arrest in the case. Rejecting P Chidambaram’s bail request, the judge said,” Facts of the case prima facie reveal that the petitioner is the kingpin, that is, the key conspirator in this case”. The agencies which are probing the case viz. the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, visited the senior Congress leader’s South Delhi home Tuesday evening but left soon as he was not in there. Meanwhile, Mr. Chidambaram has denied any wrongdoing and his lawyer has requested the probe agencies not to take any action till a hearing at the Supreme Court.
INX Media Case Live Updates
Modi’s govt is using the ED, CBI & sections of a spineless media to character assassinate Mr Chidambaram. I strongly condemn this disgraceful misuse of power.
Rahul Gandhi via twitter @RahulGandhi
Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also filed a caveat (court can’t pass any order without hearing the party filing it) in the Supreme Court, in the petition filed by P Chidambaram seeking protection from arrest.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) files a caveat (court can’t pass any order without hearing the party filing it) in the Supreme Court, in the petition filed by P Chidambaram seeking protection from arrest.
CBI at Chidambaram’s house: Cong says ‘persecution, not prosecution’
With CBI landing up at P Chidambaram’s house seeking to take him into custody after the Delhi high court rejected his anticipatory bail plea on Tuesday in the INX money laundering case, Congress alleged it amounted to “persecution” of the former Union minister. With the Congress leadership and state units busy celebrating former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s 75th birth anniversary when Chidambaram’s appeal for deferment of order by one week was rejected by the HC, most senior leaders initially declined any comment after the Supreme Court asked him to approach the court on Wednesday.
ED issues fresh lookout circular against P Chidambaram to restrict his movement across land, air and seaports: Officials
‘The matter should be heard. I (Chidamabaram) should not be arrested in the meanwhile’
At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, told the apex court that Chidambaram’s plea was dismissed by the Delhi high court on Tuesday. He said Chidambaram was granted protection from arrest for more than an year in INX cases lodged by the CBI and ED. The high court on Tuesday had refused to grant any protection from arrest to Chidambaram to enable him to approach the apex court, Sibal said. Sibal told the court that at 2am on Wednesday, the probe agencies pasted a notice on Chidambaram’s house that he has to appear before them within two hours. “The matter should be heard. I (Chidamabaram) should not be arrested in the meanwhile,” Sibal said. When Sibal said they have got their petition numbered from the registry, justice Ramana said,” You finish all formalities”.
This case is of monumental magnitude, says Centre in SC on Chidambaram’s plea: PTI
Chidambaram says Delhi HC’s observation that he is “kingpin” in INX media case is completely baseless and supported by no material whatsoever, reports PTI
Chidambaram’s case will be put before CJI to consider for urgent listing: SC
Justice N V Ramana told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, that the case will be put before the CJI.
The five-judge bench assembles. So there is no clarity as to which bench will hear P Chidambaram’s appeal.
Drama in CJI’s courtroom where five judge constitution bench is to sit for hearing Ayodhya matter. The usherers walked in and stood behind the chairs on dais. But, there is no sign of judges. Now the usherers also went back.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal tells Supreme Court that P Chidambaram should not be arrested till it hears plea for grant of anticipatory bail. SC bench headed by Justice N V Ramana sends petition to CJI. No relief to Chidambaram till CJI takes a decision on his plea.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal pleads Supreme Court to grant protection to P Chidambaram whose bail plea was rejected by Delhi HC on Tuesday.
Midnight at 12:30 AM, after failing to find Chidambaram at his residence, the CBI team put a notice outside his residence giving him a two-hour deadline to show up. Meanwhile, two hours later, Congress leader P Chidambaram hasn’t shown up at his residence where the notice had been put up. This has led CBI and ED team on the lookout to arrest former finance minister P Chidambaram in early Wednesday morning around 4 AM.
However, regarding non-appearance within 2 hours of notice, Mr. Chidambaram’s lawyer said, “The notice did not mention the specific provision of law under which he was summoned and asked not to take any coercive action against him till his petition comes for hearing in the Supreme Court Wednesday morning.”
A Central Bureau of Investigation team arrived around 8:30 AM, at the residence of P Chidambaram again on Wednesday morning. However, they left after 15 minutes failing to find the Congress leader again.
Meanwhile, backing Chidambaram, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to Twitter and slammed the government saying he is being targeted for speaking the truth and exposing the government. She wrote, “An extremely qualified and respected member of the Rajya Sabha, @PChidambaram_IN Ji has served our nation with loyalty for decades including as Finance Minister & Home Minister. He unhesitatingly speaks truth to power and exposes the failures of this government.”
However, around 9:30 AM, CBI and ED said that they will oppose Chidambaram’s plea in the Supreme Court.
Speaking on the CBI action against Chidambaram, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that it’s extremely unfair.
Meanwhile, in his plea to the Supreme Court, P Chidambaram has said that the high court order denying him bail is unjust and against the law. The plea mentions that none of the three grounds to deny bail were made out: there is no allegation that the petitioner [Chidambaram] is likely to flee justice; or that the petitioner is likely to influence the witnesses; or that the petitioner is likely to tamper with the evidence.
Around 10:30 AM, Chidambaram’s legal team has reached the Supreme Court and are present inside courtroom No. 3. The four senior lawyers for Chidambaram’s legal help are Kapil Sibal, Vivek Tankha, Salman Khurshid and Dayan Krishnan. They will mention the matter as soon as the judges arrive.
Meanwhile, the hearing of the case has begun as Kapil Sibal mentions the case to the judges at 10:40 AM. They said, “We have been protected since May 2018 in CBI case and July 2018 in ED case. We want the matter to be heard. I should not be arrested till the matter is heard.”
Meanwhile, Justice Ramana says the matter will be placed before CJI for orders on urgent hearing leading Sibal and others heading towards the CJI court at 10:45 AM.
After 5 minutes, Kapil Sibal and other members of Chidambaram’s legal team are present inside the court of the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Reportedly, Sibal has asked the court staff to convey his message of an urgent court hearing to the CJI.
Meanwhile, ED has issued a lookout notice against P Chidambaram.
Currently, the legal team is in consultation room (SC) waiting to hear from the registry if the CJI has passed any orders on the listing of Chidambaram’s plea.
