INX Media case: P Chidambaram untraceable after Delhi High Court denies him pre-arrest bail

Before sleuths from the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate landed at the residences of Congress leader P Chidambaram, he had gone underground. 

Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court had rejected his anticipatory bail application seeking protection from arrest in the INX Media case. 

“He is untraceable,” said a top CBI officer. The investigating teams are trying to locate the whereabouts of the former finance minister to arrest him.

Chidambaram had knocked the doors of Supreme Court but to no avail. Moments after the HC rejected his demand for a stay order seeking protection from arrest, his legal team headed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal rushed to the Supreme Court seeking stay. 

Since Chief Justice of India had risen for the day, Sibal approached the registry for an urgent listing of the matter. But the registry asked Sibal to mention the case on Wednesday morning. 

The court had said he cannot be granted bail just because he is an MP. “Facts of the case prima facie reveal that the petitioner is the kingpin, that is, the key conspirator in this case,” the judge said. 

Chidambaram has been questioned several times in the case, which involves alleged kickbacks received by his son Karti Chidambaram in exchange for authorisation to television company INX Media to receive foreign funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007, when his father was union finance minister in the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh. 

Both CBI and ED have stated that Chidambaram has been uncooperative in the probe, and they want his custody to interrogate him. 

The probe agencies have alleged Chidambaram was instrumental in providing government clearance to INX Media to receive the funds.

The former minister has denied any irregularities in the matter, saying he is being targeted by the BJP-led central government for political reasons.

“It is preposterous to say the prosecution of Chidambaram is baseless, politically motivated or an act of vendetta. It is a classic case of money laundering,” said Justice Sunil Gaur, who was hearing the case. 

“This is an economic offence and has to be dealt with iron hands... The hands of investigating agencies cannot be tied up in such a massive economic offence,” he added.

The court said the “magnitude and enormity” of the material produced by the investigating agencies “dis-entitles him from any pre-arrest bail”. 

The petitioner, the judge added, has been “evasive in his replies and has not cooperated with the investigations”.

Karti, who is also being investigated by the two agencies, has been accused of getting the government clearance for INX Media with his father's influence. 

Last year, he was arrested in the case and remained in custody for 23 days.

The Chidambarams were named in the case by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, who owned INX Media at the time. 

The two are currently in jail on the charge of allegedly murdering Indrani's daughter Sheena Bora.