Chidambaram back in Tihar as Delhi court sends him to judicial custody

The Congress leader was sent to judicial custody till November 13 in INX Media case

[File] Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case | PTI [File] Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case | PTI

In a fresh setback to P. Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case, a Delhi court on Wednesday sent the former finance minister to judicial custody till November 13. The court also dismissed the plea of Enforcement Directorate (ED) for a one-day custodial interrogation of Chidambaram.

Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar directed the Tihar jail authorities to provide Chidambaram medicines, western toilet, security and a separate cell. The judge also said that Chidambaram may be allowed to have home-cooked food in Tihar considering his medical condition.

Earlier, the 74-year-old leader was produced before the trial court on the expiry of his ED custody in the case.

Meanwhile, the Congress leader moved the Delhi High Court seeking interim bail in the same case on health grounds. The court is scheduled to hear the plea on Thursday.

Chidambaram has sought interim relief for six days to enable him to consult and get examined by his regular doctor at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG), Hyderabad.

He has claimed that he needs "urgent medical treatment for the acute and persistent abdominal pain being experienced" by him since October 5 due to Crohn's disease which he was diagnosed with in 2017.

According to his bail application, he was examined at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on October 7 and was prescribed an antibiotic and painkillers after which the abdominal pain subsided.

Thereafter, the problem recurred on October 22 and he was examined on October 23 at AIIMS and prescribed a new set of medicines. However, there was no relief from the pain, the application has contended.

Subsequently, he was examined again at AIIMS on October 24 and October 26 and tests were conducted at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on October 28, it has said.

He was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the corruption case.

The case was registered on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as Union finance minister.

With inputs from PTI