The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has formally arrested finance minister P. Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case on Wednesday. The arrest was recorded after ED officials quizzed Chidambaram at Tihar jail on Wednesday morning. They are expected to move court to seek his custody. Reportedly, Tihar jail authorities are awaiting a formal order on the arrest from the court.
Arriving at Tihar jail on Wednesday morning, three officials had said investigating team was following the procedure after a Delhi court on Tuesday allowed the central agency to interrogate the senior Congress leader in the case.
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The officials reportedly left the jail after interrogating Chidambaram for about two hours on Wednesday morning. Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram and wife Nalini Chidambaram had also reached the Tihar jail around the same time as the ED officials.
On Tuesday, a special court had allowed three ED officials to question Chidambaram in the INX media money laundering case. The order by Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar on Tuesday comes just two days before the judicial custody of the 74-year-old Congress veteran was set to expire in the corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI).
Since his arrest on August 21, Chidambaram has till Tuesday spent 55 days in custody, in the CBI as well as judicial, in nine spells.
Judge Kuhar allowed the ED to interrogate Chidambaram in Tihar jail on Wednesday, and arrest him, if necessary, in connection with the INX Media money laundering case.
(With agency inputs)
