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No Tihar jail for Chidambaram, SC orders extension of CBI custody till Sept 5

The CBI had told the top court that it does not want any further custody of Chidambaram and that he should be sent to Tihar Jail under judicial custody.

No Tihar jail for Chidambaram, SC orders extension of CBI custody till Sept 5

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram. (File Photo: IANS)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed former finance minister P Chidambaram to remain in CBI custody till September 5 despite the probe agency informing the court that it did not want to question the Congress leader any further.

The Central Bureau of Investigation told the top court that it does not want any further custody of Chidambaram and that he should be sent to Tihar Jail under judicial custody.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the top court that the agency does not want further custodial interrogation of Chidambaram and the judiciary must allow the law to take its own course. Mehta also requested the apex court not to regulate the proceedings pending before the trial court.

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The former Minister had on Monday repeatedly requested the court not to send him to judicial custody.

Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Chidambaram, assured the court that they will not press for his interim bail plea in the trial court.

The apex court also ordered that status quo be maintained in the INX media case.

Today’s extension came after the agency told the court that the senior Congress leader’s 15-day custody expires on September 5. “We have made a wrong statement yesterday,” the agency admitted.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on Thursday and directed that the interim order should continue till the next date of hearing.

Till date, Chidambaram has spent 12 days in CBI custody since his arrest on August 21.

After a high-decibel argument broke out on Monday between the legal teams of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and the CBI, the Supreme Court recalled its earlier order granting the former finance minister interim relief till September 5.

The CBI had sought his custody for one more day.

In its pre-lunch order on Monday, the Supreme Court had extended the CBI custody of the Congress leader till September 5 after his counsel Kapil Sibal said the senior leader must not be sent to Tihar jail but placed under house arrest as he is a 74-year-old man.

Taking into consideration the request made by Chidambaram, the Supreme Court ordered that he be not be sent to Tihar jail but kept in CBI custody.

The court is hearing Chidambaram’s plea challenging non-bailable warrant against him and remand orders of the trial court in the INX Media case.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will pronounce its order on September 5 on the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram in a case being probed by ED in INX Media scam and directed that documents linked to the case be submitted under an authenticated sealed cover.

Chidambaram was arrested on the night of August 21 amid high drama by CBI officials at his residence. His arrest came after the Delhi High Court rejected his pre-arrest bail.

The INX Media case relates to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the media group for foreign investment to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was finance minister.

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