P Chidambaram's bail plea rejected by Delhi HC in INX Media case

In a setback to P Chidambaram, the Delhi high court on Monday (September 30) refused to grant bail to former finance minister in connection with the INX Media corruption case.

Last week, the CBI had urged the Delhi high court to refuse bail to Chidambaram. Referring to the senior Congress leader as ‘flight risk’, the investigating agency had asked the court to keep him in custody during the trial.

Dismissing the Congress leader’s bail plea, justice Suresh Kait, said though there are no risks attached to tampering with the evidence, there is a possibility that Chidambaram can influence witnesses during the investigation.

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Chidambaram, who was arrested from his Jor Bagh residence by the CBI on August 21, has been in the custody since then. On September 5, he was sent to Tihar Jail and will be under judicial custody till October 3.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of ₹305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram’s tenure as the finance minister.

Thereafter, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.

(With inputs from agencies)