A Delhi court today extended the CBI custody of former union minister P Chidambaram by one more day. Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar will hear the bail plea of the senior Congress leader tomorrow. Chidambaram was produced at the court as his CBI remand was expiring today which was extended by three days on 30 August.
The CBI opposed any relief to Chidambaram and sought one more day in custody, which was granted by the court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal moved an interim plea seeking interim bail at the court today, after the Supreme Court directed him to move the trial court for interim protection. Appearing for CBI, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to submitted a written reply to the plea, and also said that CBI must be issued a notice in this regard as per rules.
The hearings in the special CBI court was followed by dramatic developments in the Supreme Court today. SC was hearing Chidambaram’s petition against CBI remand today, where his lawyers requested the court that he should not be sent to Tihar jail on judicial custody. His lawyers had said that put Chidambaram in house arrest if needed, instead of Tihar Jail.
In a very unusual order, the Supreme Court had asked the trial court to extend CBI remand if his bail plea was to be rejected today. This order had prevented the trial court from sending P Chidambaram to Judicial custody. Later SG Tushar Mehta was able to convince the apex court to hear the matter again tomorrow, as CBI was going to seek custody till tomorrow.
When the CBI court started hearing the case, it had not received the SC order, creating some confusion. After the order was fetched, the court extended the CBI custody of P Chidambaram by one. The court will hear the interim bail plea on Tuesday, and take further decisions on the case after Supreme Court issues its order tomorrow.
Chidambaram was arrested late night on 21st August by the CBI from his Jor Bagh residence in New Delhi in connection to the INX Media case. The arrest came after high-intensity drama where CBI officials had to climb up walls to reach the senior Congress leader. The CBI court had sent him to CBI remand for 4 days on 22nd August, which was extended by 4 and 3 days after expire of earlier remands. ED is also seeking to arrest him on money laundering case.
