The Indian Supreme Court has granted bail to former Union minister P. Chidambaram in the INX Media case.
The bench of Justices R. Banumathi, A.S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy were hearing Chidambaram’s appeal to the Delhi high court’s decision rejecting his bail plea in the case. The court was also hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation’s cross-appeal against the Delhi high court’s statement that Chidambaram was not a flight risk or may tamper with evidence, The Wire reported.
The Delhi high court had said that the former minister was not a flight risk, but may influence witnesses because of his position. The apex court, however, disagreed.
Chidambaram’s bail is conditional on him providing a personal bond worth Rs 1 lakh and two sureties, as well as making himself available for interrogation. He has also been asked not to leave the country.
While the Supreme Court has granted him bail in the CBI’s case against him, the former Union minister and advocate is yet to secure bail in the ED’s case. Since he is currently in the ED’s custody, the apex court’s decision will not mean he can walk free,
Chidambaram was arrested in connection with the graft case on August 21 by the CBI, which has recently chargesheeted him and others, including his son Karti and some bureaucrats, for causing loss to the exchequer by allegedly committing offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code.
Chidambaram is presently in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the INX Media money laundering case.
The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007, during Chidambaram's tenure as the finance minister.
Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.
The 74-year-old senior Congress leader had approached the apex court challenging the September 30 verdict of the high court which had dismissed his bail plea in the INX Media corruption case, filed by the CBI, saying the probe was at an advanced stage and the possibility of his influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and A M Singhvi, appearing for the senior Congress leader, had argued in the top court that Chidambaram should be granted bail in the case as he was neither a 'flight risk' and nor there was any possibility of him tampering with the evidence.
