More than 12 hours after his dramatic arrest last night, former Union Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram has been produced before the Special CBI Court in New Delhi on Thursday. The hearing is currently underway at the Delhi court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta would be appearing for the CBI in the case. The federal investigative agency is expected to seek his 14-day custody, officials said.
Chidambaram's wife Nalini, son Karti along with counsel and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vivek Tankha representing the former Union minister are also there in the Delhi court. Advocate Dayan Krishnan, who appeared for Chidambaram in the Delhi High Court, is also present.
Chidambaram was taken inside the Special CBI Court through the back gate of Rouse Avenue complex amid tight security.
Earlier in the day, the CBI had started questioning Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media case, officials said.
A team of officials, armed with over 100 questions pertaining to process of clearance, alleged meetings with INX media promoter Indrani Mukerjea, companies Chess Management and Advantage Strategic etc, will question him over the course of his custody with the agency, sources said.
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The team under under Deputy SP R. Parthasarthy is leading the probe in the alleged corruption in the clearance of Rs 305 crore foreign investment to to INX Media when Chidambaram was the Union finance minister, the officials said.
Chidambaram, 73, who spent a quiet night at the agency guest house in suite number 5 on the ground floor of the headquarters, was offered a breakfast in the morning before questioning began at around 10.20 am, they said.
He was brought to the CBI headquarters at around 10pm on Wednesday night.
After a thorough medical check-up by a doctor from the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, he was taken to the room where he spent a quiet night, the officials said.
Mostly, they said, he remained silent except answering a few queries as and when questioned by the CBI officers.
Chidambaram has strongly denied the allegations, saying the payments were for consultancy and his son was in no way associated with that company.
