ED issues LOC against Chidambaram to restrict his movement across land, air, seaports

New Delhi, Aug 21: The Enforcement Directorate has issued a Look Out Circular as P Chidambaram remains untraceable.

The fresh Look Out Circular was issued against Chidambaram to restrict his movement across land, air and seaports, officials have said.

Meanwhile the ED also questioned Chidambaram's driver. He had abandoned the driver yesterday after leaving the Supreme Court. The last phone call location was Lodhi Road. His mobile is currently switched off and the driver told ED officials that he is unaware of the location.

Chidambaram moved the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea seeking anticipatory bail in the INX Media case. A team of the CBI and ED had both visited the residence of the former finance minister on Tuesday after the order of the Delhi High Court.

However the teams returned as they did not find Chidambaram there. The CBI even pasted a notice at the residence directing him to appear before the agency within two hours.

The CBI issued a notice to him asking him to appear before the investigation officer "within two hours", after failing to find him at his residence. However, none are currently aware as to where exactly the former minister is. He is expecting an early hearing in the Supreme Court today, following which he would appear, one source told OneIndia.

Chidambaram's lawyer, Arshdeep Singh Khurana wrote to the CBI after the notice was put up.

" I am instructed to state that your notice fails to mention the provision of law under which my client has been issued a notice to appear within 2 hours. Furthermore, my client is exercising the rights available to him in law and had approached the Supreme Court on August 20 seeking urgent reliefs in respect of the order dismissing his anticipatory bail. He has been permitted by the SC to mention the urgent Special Leave Petition against the order before the court at 10.30 am today. I therefore request you not to take any coercive action against my client till then and wait the hearing at 10.30 am," Khurana wrote.