New Delhi | CBI arrested former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday night on charges of money laundering in the INX Media case after high drama outside his Jor Bagh residence.
Before his arrest, P Chidambaram, who was ‘missing’ since more than 24 hours, reappeared to talk to the media.
“I was working alongside my lawyers whole of last night… and the whole day,” Mr Chidambaram said, explaining his absence from the public eye.
The senior Congress leader spent the night at the CBI guest house on the ground floor of the agency headquarters in the national capital.
Mr Chidambaram has been accused of facilitating a huge infusion of foreign funds into a television company, INX Media, in 2007, on the recommendation of Karti Chidambaram.
At the time, he was the country’s finance minister in the UPA government.
6:30 PM
P Chidambaram to remain in CBI custody for 4 days, till 26 August
6:00 PM
CBI court order for P Chidambaram anytime now
5:40 PM
P Chidambaram speaks in court
5:30 PM
CBI case is not the gospel of truth, cannot be treated as evidence: Kapil Sibal for P Chidambaram
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta accused Chidambaram of being “non-cooperative’ in the case.
Countering the argument, Kapil Sibal asked the court that if CBI wanted to interrogate him, why did they question him only once?
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, argued that the first arrest in the case was of Bhaskar Raman, chartered accountant of Karti, who is presently out on bail. Besides that, Peter and Indrani Mukherjea, also accused in the case, are out on default bail as they are in jail in connection with another matter, Sibal said.
4:58 PM
P Chidambaram Says Want To Speak In Court, Opposed By Solicitor General
P Chidambaram, during arguments, says he wants to make a submission in court, but is opposed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.Mr Chidambaram’s lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, citing a judgement, says an accused can be allowed to make a submission. Solicitor General, opposes, saying it is not the procedure.
4:46 PM
Abhishek Singhvi opposes custodial interrogation of P Chidambaram saying no allegation of tampering of evidence made by CBI
4:44 PM
“Only been called once in 14 months”, says Abhishek Manu Singhvi
Non cooperation is not when I don’t answer the way you want me to answer. It is when you call 10 times and I say no 5 times. Here I’ve been called only once in 14 months. I’ve not been evasive, I’ve answered your questions, says Abhishek Manu Singhvi
4:40 PM
“P Chidambaram might be the approver of the FIPB decision but not the decider,” says Abhishek Singhvi
For any arrest, there should be three criteria:
1. Flight risk
2. Non-cooperation
3. TamperingHere the agency doesn’t have any case in two of the three and the only allegation is that P Chidambaram is not cooperating, says Abhishek Singhvi
4:30 PM
Grant of bail is a rule and the issue before court is of personal liberty: Kapil Sibal
4:25 PM
Investigators don’t know what to ask P Chidambaram and they don’t have questions ready with them: Kapil Sibal
4:20 PM
Other accused including P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram already granted bail in the case, says Kapil Sibal
4:18 PM
Kapil Sibal in Court: Last night CBI said that they wanted to interrogate Chidambaram, they didn’t start the interrogation till 12 noon and asked him only 12 questions. By now they should know what questions to ask.The questions had nothing to do with Chidambaram.
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2019
4:11 PM
FIR filed around 10 years after alleged offence: Kapil Sibal tells CBI court
4:10 PM
What CBI says is not the gospel truth: Kapil Sibal tells CBI court
4:05 PM
Kapil Sibal arguing for P Chidambaram in Court says the accused in this case is Karti Chidambaram who was granted regular bail by the Delhi High Court in March 2018, challenges in Supreme Court not interfered. Other accused also got bail.Peter and Indrani Mukerjea on default bail
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2019
4:00 pm
CBI says P Chidambaram not cooperating in the investigation, reports news agency PTI
3:45 PM
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta arguing for CBI in Court says have moved an application seeking 5 day custody of P Chidambaram
3:30 PM
Chidambaram appears before CBI court
INX Media Case: P. Chidambaram produced in CBI court; hearing begins. https://t.co/0q8HjenRai
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2019
2:15 PM
P Chidambaram to appear in the CBI court.
1:40 PM
CBI officials have finished interrogation of P Chidambaram. The investigation in the INX media case is being led by R. Parthasarathy. On Wednesday, Mr Parthasarathy scaled the walls of Mr Chidambaram’s home and emerged with the senior Congress leader, half an hour later, and drove him away to the agency’s headquarters.
1:10 PM
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor supports P Chidambaram
Well said @PChidambaram_IN ! It is a tribute to your strength of character that you are standing up to persecution &character assassination w/ courage & confidence. I believe justice will prevail in the end. Till then we will have to allow some malicious minds their schadenfreude https://t.co/OoERqVVKTQ
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 21, 2019
12:48 PM
Opposition leaders protest in Delhi
Delhi: CPI(M) leaders Sitaram Yechury & Brinda Karat, and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav also present at the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led All-Party Demonstration, demanding the “release of leaders detained in Jammu & Kashmir”, at Jantar Mantar. pic.twitter.com/qSPf8u94zk
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2019
12:37 PM
Karti Chidambaram joins Congress at their protest in Jantar Mantar
Karti Chidambaram arrived at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to join the protest against the abrogation of Article 370.
12:15 PM
LIVE: Press briefing by @rssurjewala, I/C, AICC Communications. https://t.co/AnhGZzw0hF
— Congress Live (@INCIndiaLive) August 22, 2019
11:45 AM
‘The matter is listed on Friday, CBI could have waited”: Salman Khurshid
Union Minister of State for Home,G Kishan Reddy on P Chidambaram arrested by CBI: Law will take its own course, the court takes decisions as per law,the party,the govt has no role in it. It’s the court, not government that decides where to put the people who indulge in corruption pic.twitter.com/w5h6l1MIjF
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2019
11:05 AM
Congress at their press conference
“Apart from wanting to tarnish the image and reputation of the honorable and respected former union minister, there was no other reason to send the CBI and ED and arrest him from his home in the manner in which it was done”, said Randeep Singh Surjewala.
“Neither Chidambaram nor his son has been accused of any offence in the INX Media case. No chargesheet has been filed till today. Karti was raided, arrested and released on bail. Yet, the investigating authority seems to have lack of evidence to even present a chargesheet to the court, placing evidence against the former Union minister,” Surjewala said.
“The case lies on the basis of one approver, who is in prison and has been accused of murdering her daughter. Except for the blatant attempt to humiliate Chidambaram, there was no hurry to arrest him by sending CBI officials at his residence at night. He has always cooperated with the agencies and has the highest regard of the Constitution,” he said.
“The authorities are yet to come out with a compelling case against Chidambaram. False charges are heaped upon senior political rivals. We as a nation must rise and refuse to be mere spectacles. We hope the officers who scaled the wall of his residence will have the courage to tell the prime minister and home minister that there is zero evidence against Chidambaram,” Surjewala said.
10:45 AM
Kapil Sibal: It’s a matter of great concern to us as members of legal fraternity, also it should be a matter of concern as citizens. All we wanted was a hearing,the presiding judge chose instead to say that I am sending the file to CJI. Isn’t a citizen entitled to be heard? pic.twitter.com/mzQzyZbRTe
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2019
10:30 AM
“Govt is using CBI and ED for their own personal vendetta”, says Randeep Singh Surjewala
The vindictive and malicious manner in which former Home and Finance minister has been persecuted and prosecuted shows malice by the Modi government. This happens while the economy is suffering and the rupee has been the worst performing currency,” he said.
10:00 AM
“Never met Indrani Mukerjea before CBI interrogation”, says Karti Chidambaram
“I’ve never met Peter Mukerjea, I’ve never met Indrani Mukerjea in my life. The only time I’ve seen Indrani was when CBI took me to confront her. I have had no interaction with anyone directly or indirectly connected with their company”, he said, referencing the CBI claims about Indrani Mukerjea’s statements in the case.
9:45 AM
‘Choose liberty over freedom’: Chidambaram
Addressing the press conference, Chidambaram, flanked by Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel, Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid, Abhishek Singhvi, K C Venugopal and Vivek Tankha, said he was neither “hiding from the law” nor “running away from justice.”
He said he was with his lawyers through the night and during the day. “I believe that the foundation of a democracy is liberty. The most precious Article of the Constitution of India is Article 21 that guarantees life and liberty. If I am asked to choose between life and liberty, I shall unhesitatingly choose liberty. Why are the years up to 1947 called the years of freedom struggle? Because, to win freedom, we must struggle. To preserve freedom too, we must struggle,” he told reporters.
9:20 AM
8:57 AM
‘Attempt to divert attention from Article 370’: Karti Chidambaram
P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram said the arrest of the former Union minister was an attempt to deviate from the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir over Article 370. “It (arrest of P Chidambaram by CBI) is being done just to divert attention from the issue of Article 370,” he told reporters at Chennai airport.
8:30 AM
P Chidambaram to be produced before special CBI court in INX Media case
Former Union minister P Chidambaram, who was arrested late Wednesday night for his alleged role in two cases of alleged corruption and money laundering linked to INX Media, will be produced before a special CBI court today
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