P Chidambaram to move SC tomorrow against Delhi HC order rejecting his anticipatory bail plea

Congress leader P Chidambaram will move the Supreme Court on Wednesday to challenge the Delhi High Court order which dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in cases filed by the CBI and the ED related to his alleged role in INX Media scam.

"Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has asked us to move the senior-most judge of the top court in the morning tomorrow," Kapil Sibal, the senior lawyer representing Chidambaram told reporters.

Earlier today, the former Union Minister faced a setback when the High Court rejected his applications for an anticipatory bail in the case.

This grant of bail in cases like instant one will send a wrong message to the society, stated the High Court in its order.

"It cannot be forgotten that the petitioner was the FM at the relevant time and he had given FDI clearances to INX Media group for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore. Facts of the case prima facie reveal that petitioner is the kingpin, i.e., the key conspirator in this case. Law enforcing agencies cannot be made ineffective by putting legal obstacles of offences in question," it read.

In 2007, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.

Based on the FIR, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against him.

Chidambaram's son Karti has also been named in the two cases. He was arrested on February 28, 2018, by the CBI and was later released on bail. The ED had attached properties belonging to him.

On July 4, a Delhi court had allowed Indrani Mukerjea, the former head of the INX Media, to turn an approver in the CBI case.

The agency had submitted that it has come across evidence in the form of conversations which only Indrani Mukerjea is privy to and will help consolidate the case.

-ANI

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