Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who is facing arrest in the INX Media case, failed to get a legal reprieve on Wednesday as the Supreme Court refused an urgent hearing on his plea for anticipatory bail. The top court has listed the case to be heard on Friday.
Both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have been on the look out for the senior Congress leader ever since the Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected his plea seeking advance bail in the case.
Media reports quoted CBI sources as saying that the custodial interrogation of Chidambaram cannot be ruled out since he is not acknowledging their notices to join investigations.
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On Tuesday, while dismissing his bail petition, the high court had noted that it was of the prima facie opinion that the former minister's custodial interrogation was required for an effective investigation in the matter.
At the apex court, his petition was first mentioned by senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Wednesday morning before a bench, comprising Justices N.V. Ramana, M. Shantanagoudar and Ajay Rastogi, which sent it for being placed before the CJI for his consideration to accord it urgent hearing.
Sibal, flanked by other senior advocates Vivek Tankha and Indira Jaising, told the bench that the investigating agencies have issued a look out notice against Chidambaram as if he is going to "run away".
The top court, however, said the petition "cannot be listed for hearing today itself".
"Sorry Mr Sibal. We cannot hear the matter," the bench said when he repeatedly asked for hearing the matter on Wednesday itself.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI and the ED, opposed the plea of Chidambaram, saying it was a case of money laundering of "monumental magnitude".
CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.
Thereafter, the ED in 2018 lodged the money laundering case in this regard.
Chidambaram'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.
It was during his tenure as finance minister in the UPA-I government that clearances from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) were given to the two ventures.
With inputs from PTI
