The Special CBI Court at Rouse Avenue Court Complex today i.e., September 13, 2019, dismissed former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's plea to surrender before Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the INX Media case.
Chidambaram, who is presently lodged in Tihar jail after the CBI Court remanded him to judicial custody on September 5, 2019, will now remain in Jail till September 19, 2019.
The order dismissing the plea was pronounced by Special CBI Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar after the application was heard in detail on September 12, 2019.
The ED had told the CBI Court that it did not want custodial interrogation of Chidambaram for now.
ED had stated that it would approach the Court as and when the same was required.
The Investigating Agency had prayed for the dismissal of the surrender application on the ground that an accused could not guide the mode and manner of investigation or dictate when he could be arrested.
It was further stated that till the time Chidambaram remained in judicial custody, there was no threat of tampering with evidence or influencing the witness and the Agency would utilize this time to gather more material in the case.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, had said that the agency is acting with the mala fide intention of keeping him in jail for 15 days at any cost. Before the Supreme Court, the ED had sought custodial interrogation of Chidambaram, and this was even recorded by the SC in the rejecting anticipatory bail.
It was contended that the accused always has a right to surrender before the Court. "They only want to prolong my incarceration,” the senior counsel submitted.
Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI from his residence on August 21, 2019, a day after the Delhi High Court denied his anticipatory bail plea. He was thereafter sent to custody on August 22, 2019.
