The Supreme Court (SC,) on the 4th of December, granted bail to P. Chidambaram, the former Finance Minister of India, in relation with the INX Media case.
Mr. Chidambaram appealed for bail to the Supreme Court on the 15th of November, after the Delhi High Court rejected his bail plea.
A bench of SC judges accepted Mr. Chidambaram’s bail plea.
P. Chidambaram was in Tihar Jail, Delhi, for almost 100 days.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) urged the SC and the Delhi High Court to arrest Mr. Chidambaram and demanded judicial custody for further investigation.
After spending almost 100 days in Tihar Jail, a bench headed by Justice R. Banumathi granted bail to Chidambaram. However, the SC restricted Mr. Chidambaram from travelling abroad and addressing any press meet or media personnel. The Court also directed P. Chidambaram to furnish a bond of Rs. 2 lakhs with two securities.
However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is representing the ED, claimed if released from jail, Mr. Chidambaram may influence the witnesses and tamper with the evidence in the case.
On the other hand, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and A.M. Singhvi, representing Mr. Chidambaram, denied the allegations and said they were baseless.
The bench said, “Bail is the rule and jail is an exception.” The Court further directed Mr. Chidambaram not to tamper with the evidence and manipulate the witnesses in the case.
P. Chidambaram is alleged of laundering Rs. 305 crores. The ED registered a case against Chidambaram in 2017 and is probing the case ever since.
After the SC granted bail to Mr. Chidambaram, Indian National Congress (INC) leaders and other political supporters of Chidambaram expressed their happiness.
Stay tuned for further updates.
