ED seeks custodial interrogation of Chidambaram in Aircel-Maxis case
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday told a Delhi court that custodial interrogation of former Union minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram was necessary in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case to unravel the truth as he was evasive and non-cooperative in the probe.
The ED opposed his anticipatory bail saying that from the conduct of Chidambaram, who is a "highly influential and well connected individual", there was a serious apprehension of his influencing the witnesses and tampering with evidence pertaining in the case.
The agency sought custodial interrogation of Chidambaram on the ground that he has not been cooperating with it in the probe and hence making it difficult complete the investigation in a time bound manner as directed by the Supreme Court.
The agency, which filed its response to the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram, said that he has remained evasive and therefore grant of pre-arrest bail at this stage would be highly detrimental to the investigation.
"From the conduct of the petitioner, which gets amply demonstrated from the records available, the investigating agency has reached a bonafide conclusion that in the absence of custodial interrogation it will not be possible to reach the truth of the allegations as the petitioner has chosen to be evasive and non-cooperative," the agency said, reports PTI.