Concerned about Chidambaram's custody: Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, Sep 23: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday expressed concern over former union minister P Chidambaram's custody. Singh in a press statement asked how can a minister be accused of committing an offense for approving a proposal which "A dozen officers examined and recommended."

Former finance minister is in jail in connection with INX Media case. He also facing charges in the Aircel maxis case. Chidambaram was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 21 in INX media case.

Chidambaram is accused of facilitating in 2007, as the country's finance minister, a huge infusion of foreign funds into the company INX Media. His son Karti Chidambaram is accused of receiving kickbacks for facilitating the process.

"We are concerned with continued detention in custody of our colleague P Chidambaram. In our system of government, no decision can be taken by any single person. All decisions are collective decisions recorded in files," Singh said in a press statement.

"A dozen officers examined and recommended the proposal. Minister Chidambaram approved the unanimous recommendation. If officers aren't at fault it's beyond our comprehension how the Minister who simply approved the recommendation can be accused of committing an offence," he added.

Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited Delhi's Tihar jail today to meet P Chidambaram.

"If the Minister is liable for approving a recommendation, the whole system of government will collapse. We are confident, and we sincerely hope, that the courts will render justice in this case," former PM's statement said.