SC to hear appeals filed by Chidambaram against Delhi HC order today

Appeals filed by former Union Minister P Chidambaram against the Delhi High Court's order rejecting his anticipatory bail plea in the INX media case will be heard by Supreme Court on Monday. Earlier, the apex court had granted him interim protection from arrest till August 26 in connection with the case probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear the appeals filed by former Union Minister P Chidambaram against the Delhi High Court's order rejecting his anticipatory bail plea in the INX media case being probed by the CBI and ED case against him.

A special anti-corruption court on August 22 sent Chidambaram to the CBI custody till August 26 for interrogation. As the senior Congress leader's custody will end on Monday, he will be produced before the CBI court.

An apex court bench of Justice R Banumathi and Justice AS Bopanna will hear the appeals of Chidambaram against Delhi High Court order, which had granted him interim protection from arrest till August 26 in connection with INX media case probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The counsel of the ED had vehemently opposed before the top court Chidambaram's lawyers request for protection from arrest in the case.

During the hearing on Friday, the bench while noting that Chidambaram has already been in the CBI custody till Monday, it heard ED case in which it gave protection from arrest to the Congress leader and posted both the CBI and ED matter for hearing on Monday.

On Friday, Chidambaram had also filed a new petition against the trial court's orders, permitting the CBI to interrogate him in custody and issuance of non-bailable warrant against him on August 21.

Amidst dramatic scenes, senior Congress leader was arrested in the INX Media case by CBI on Wednesday night after he failed to get relief from the Supreme Court over CBI and ED's pursuit of him as the matter was not heard by the court despite repeated efforts of his lawyers.

On August 21, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Chidambaram's plea for anticipatory bail. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued look-out notices against him on Wednesday in the INX media case.

In 2017, the CBI had registered an FIR alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.