A Supreme Court bench on Wednesday extended till Thursday the interim protection from arrest granted to former finance minister P. Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court extended till Wednesday the interim protection from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate it had granted to Chidambaram. Chidambaram has been in CBI custody since August 21.
A bench of Justices R. Banumathi and A.S. Bopanna heard arguments advanced by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Wednesday who said that Chidambaram was trying to play the "victim card" and prevent ED from exercising its right to arrest him in the case. "This is not a witch hunt as alleged by them. We have material to show that it is a serious case of money laundering. We have collected cogent materials in the case," Mehta told the bench, which would continue hearing arguments in the case.
On Tuesday, Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who are part of Chidambaram's legal team, argued that the Enforcement Directorate should produce transcripts of his interrogation in the INX Media case. Sibal took issue with the Enforcement Directorate submitting to the Delhi High Court evidence against Chidambaram in a sealed cover.
Appearing for the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued evidence against Chidambaram could not be shared until the prosecution complaint was filed. He was quoted by Bar & Bench as saying, “Most of the evidence is in the form of electronic format and within minutes of it being publicised or put before the court, it will be gone.”
Mehta requested the Supreme Court bench to examine the evidence that was submitted by the Enforcement Directorate in a sealed cover. Arguing against provision of anticipatory bail for Chidambaram, Mehta argued the “threshold” for arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was much higher than under sections of the IPC. Mehta added “all conditions for arrest” had been met in the case of Chidambaram.