COOL PC, HEATED ARGUMENTS

A high drama was witnessed outside Rouse Avenue special court where former Union minister P Chidambaram was produced by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the INX media corruption case. Each time any vehicle would enter the court complex, a large number of mediapersons scrambled upon it with the hope to catch the glimpse of the veteran Congress leader, who was finally brought to the court complex at about 3:15 pm.

Clad in white kurta and south Indian dhoti, Mr Chidambaram was brought to the court complex in a white Maruti Eartiga car by the CBI. The Congress leaders car was escorted by five Gypsies of the city police and the investigating agency.

Before Mr Chidrambaram was produced in the CBI designated court, his wife Nalini and his son Karti took seats in the courtroom. A battery of lawyers representing Mr Chidambaram were seen chatting with the veteran leader’s family, who outrightly refused to take any questions from the media persons present inside the court complex.

Just half-an-hour before the former minister was brought by the CBI to the courtroom, his lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi - made their appearance before the designated judge. The CBI was represented by solicitor general Tushar Mehta. When the hearing began, only a handful of media persons could gain entry into the courtroom which was packed with lawyers.

All through the court hearing, which lasted for about 100 minutes, one could see Mr Chidambaram wearing a broad smile on his face. The Congress leader himself is a veteran lawyer.

While the defence lawyers aggressively argued for about an hour requesting the judge that their client be released and there were no solid reasons to put the Congress leader under police remand, Mr Mehta vehemently opposed it on the ground that the investigating agency had to question him in the “classic” money laundering case.

It was after about 90minutes that the judge ordered that Mr Chidambaram should be remanded to CBI custody for four days. The judge directed that the medical examination of the accused should be conducted in accordance with law. He, however, made it clear that his family and lawyers should be allowed to meet the Congress leader for about half-anhour every day in police custody.

As Mr Chidambaram was being taken back by the investigating agency to the CBI Headquarters at Lodhi Colony, his son said that he himself had undergone this ordeal and this is what all we had expected. “We will see what happens in the Supreme Court on Friday.”