SC To Consider Chidambaram's Bail Plea In INX Media Scam Case On Friday

The petition filed by Senior Advocate P Chidambaram against the August 20 judgment of Delhi High Court that refused pre-arrest bail to him in the INX Media scandal case will be considered by the Supreme Court on August 23.

This was confirmed by the SC Registry to the former Union Finance Minister's lawyers, who had made attempts on Wednesday to get the petition listed urgently. The bench has not been decided as of now.

As there is no interim protection granted by the SC, the Delhi HC's judgment is in operation, enabling the law enforcement agencies to arrest Chidambaram, who happens to be a sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Congress.

Two rounds of mentioning were made by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal before Justice Ramana - one in the morning and another at 2 PM - for urgent hearing of the petition.

Though Sibal submitted that CBI had issued look out notice for Chidambaram and could arrest him anytime, Justice Ramana maintained that out of turn hearing cannot be given to the petition unless it is listed as per proper procedure. 

Since CJI Ranjan Gogoi and the second senior judge Justice Bobde were in the Constitution Bench hearing the Ayodhya matter, the mentioning was made before Justice Ramana, the next available senior judge.

Justice Ramana said that only the CJI could pass orders regarding listing of the case and forwarded the file to the office of CJI.

Chidambaram is apprehending arrest by CBI and Enforcement Directorate for offences under Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act in respect of INX Media investments.

The allegation is that while being the Finance Minister in 2007, Chidambaram had given approval for about Rs.305 crores Foreign Direct Investment by INX by taking reciprocal benefits from the media house through the companies associated with his son Karti Chidambaram.

The cases were registered in 2017 and 2018 by the CBI and ED respectively. 

The Delhi High Court dismissed his application for anticipatory bail on Tuesday after observing that it was a "classic case of money laundering". Chidambaram was termed the "kingpin and key conspirator" of the alleged corruption deal.