ED to confront Chidu with other accused
...SENT TO JUDICIAL CUSTODY TILL NOVEMBER 13
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which got the 14-day custody of former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram in its probe into the INX Media money laundering case, is yet to confront him with some of the other accused including the then Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) officials, sources said on Wednesday.
An ED source said that in the coming days the central probe agency is planning to confront Chidambaram with the then FIPB officials who cleared the FIPB proposal to INX Media.
The source said "we have summoned some of the officials and they will be confronted with Chidambaram soon."
"But before confronting him with them we wanted to study the whole cycle of the FIPB approvals," he said.
Chidambaram was arrested on August 21 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case. He was sent to Tihar Jail on September 4. On October 16, while in judicial custody in Tihar Jail, he was arrested under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by ED officials.
Since October 17, Chidambaram was remanded to ED custody till October 30.
Earlier in the day, Chidambaram was sent to judicial custody by a Delhi court till November 13.
Taking a jibe at the probe agencies, Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram, who is a Congress MP from Tamil Nadu said that the agencies have so far not confronted him with any witnesses or any global accounts.
"This whole cycle of CBI, ED and judicial custody of my father P. Chidambaram is a farcical made for media drama. After 70 days, what do we have? No confrontation with any "witness" or undeclared global accounts or properties. A "chargesheet" for 9.96 lakh received by cheque by a company," Karti tweeted.
Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Wednesday sent former finance minister P. Chidambaram to judicial custody till November 13 in the money laundering case relating to INX Media.
The former finance minister was produced before Special CBI Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar at the end of his Enforcement Directorate remand. During the course of hearing, the agency through Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought one day ED remand of Chidambaram. Opposing it, Chidambaram's legal team led by senior advocate Kapil Sibal said, "To date they have not confronted him with anything for the last 14 days." "Summons are already issued and what happens through it, we will show it to the court," Mehta responded. Following the submissions, the judge passed the order. The court also allowed Chidambaram's request to have a separate cell, subject to availability, medicines and a western-style toilet.
Considering the medical condition of Chidambaram, the court also allowed his request to have home-cooked food.
Chidambaram is being investigated for his alleged involvement in irregularities in granting the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to INX Media during his term as Finance Minister.
The court allowed Chidambaram's request to have a separate cell, subject to availability, medicines and a western-style toilet. Considering the medical condition of Chidambaram, the court also allowed his request to have home-cooked food