INX media case: Delhi HC rejects Chidambaram's anticipatory bail plea

New Delhi, Aug 20: A big setback to former Finance Minister P Chidambaram as Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected Chidambaram's anticipatory bail plea in INX media case.

Earlier, the Congress leader was also being probed by ED in two separate money-laundering cases of Aircel-Maxis and INX Media.

Justice Sunil Gaur, who delivered the judgment on Tuesday, had reserved the order on January 25. "Both the petitions by CBI and ED are dismissed," said Justice Gaur.

ED argued that the companies in which money was transferred were directly or indirectly controlled by Chidambaram's son, Karti Chidambaram and they have a reason to believe that the FIPB approval was granted to INX Media on his son's intervention.

The Delhi high court on July 25, 2018 had granted interim protection from arrest to Chidambaram in both the cases and it was extended from time to time.

The former Finance Minister's role had come under the scanner of various investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.

In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.

Beside this, on Monday the senior Congress leader was summoned by ED, he has also been asked to depose on August 23 before the sleuths at an ED office to record his statement in connection with the purchase of 111 aircraft for Air India during the Congress-led UPA government.