INX media case: P Chidambaram faces arrest after Delhi HC rejects bail plea
New Delhi, Aug 20 (IBNS): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied anticipatory bail to former Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, leading to a possibility of his arrest in connection with the INX Media case, media reports said. Soon after, the federal investigating agency CBI put up a notice outside his residence at Jor Bagh in New Delhi asking him to appear before it within two hours.
The CBI team went to his Jor Bagh residence around 630 pm but did not find him there, sources said. The notice was put up at his residence in his absence.
According to the court, Chidamabaram could not be provided with the bail as he is a parliamentarian.
He has been termed as the "kingpin" in the case.
"Facts of the case prima facie reveal that the petitioner is the kingpin, that is, the key conspirator in this case," the judge said.
Meanwhile, media reports suggest that as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are on a lookout for the senior Congress leader.
A six-member team from the CBI visited his Delhi home on Tuesday evening, but the former minister was not present there.
Chidambaram's legal team, led by Kapil Sibal, has challenged the order in the Supreme Court.
The case is expected to have an early hearing on Wednesday.
Chidambaram and his son Karti have come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.
Chidambaram and Karti have been questioned by the ED on various occasions, even though the politician has not been arrayed as an accused.
Both had denied the allegations levelled against them by the CBI and the ED.
Karti and INX Media were alleged to have been involved in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the media house for foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2007.
The probing agency had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house was "fallacious" but former Union finance minister Chidambaramhad cleared it, said reports.
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