INX media case: Chidambaram sent to Tihar jail till Sep 19; CBI may file chargesheet this month

New Delhi, Sep 05: A Delhi court on Thursday sent P Chidambaram to judicial custody till September 19 in connection with INX Media case.

Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar pronounced the order on the CBI plea that former finance minister P Chidambaram be sent to judicial custody in the INX Media corruption case.

Meanwhile, the Special CBI court will hear P Chidambaram's application for surrender in Enforcement Directorate case on September 12.

Chidambaram's counsel had opposed the plea for judicial custody and instead offered that he be taken into ED custody in the money laundering case arising out of the INX Media scam.

Sibal has requested a separate cell for him, a cot, a western toilet and medicines.

"There is no principle in law that says once police custody is over, judicial custody must be granted," Chidambaram's lawyer Kapil Sibal said in the court.

Sibal said that Chidambaram can surrender and the Enforcement Directorate can take his custody. Sibal, however, strongly objected to judicial custody.

CBI may file chargesheet in INX Media case this month

In connection with the INX Media case, CBI may file a chargesheet soon and will keep the investigation open, PTI quoted sources as saying. Around 11 entities may be charged in the first chargesheet in the case, PTI quoted its sources.

According to officials, Chidambaram was asked around 425 questions during 90 hours of interrogation spread over 14 days, PTI quoted sources as saying. The probe also included his face-to-face confrontation with former additional secretary in the Finance Ministry Sindhushree Khullar and director Prabodh Saxena, PTI quoted sources.

CBI had lodged an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in FIPB clearance granted to INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister. Thereafter, ED lodged a money laundering case in 2017. The Delhi high court had on August 20, rejected anticipatory bail pleas of Chidambaram in the INX media scam cases lodged by CBI and ED.