New Delhi: A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Tuesday arrived at the residence of former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidamabaram here after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Delhi High Court.
While rejecting the anticipatory bail to Chidambaram, the Delhi High Court in its orders observed, “Preposterous to say prosecution of Chidambaram is baseless, politically motivated and act of vendetta,” said the Delhi High Court during hearing on the Congress leader’s bail plea.
“It is a classic case of money laundering. The twin factors which have weighed to deny pre arrest bail to Petitioner are gravity of offense and evasive replies of the Petitioner to questions put to him while he was under protective cover. Gravity of offence committed in this case justify denial of pre arrest bail,” the high court orders stated.
Later, the CBI and ED teams came to the former Finance Minister’s residence one after the other, but could not meet him as he was not at home. The CBI team reached Chidambaram’s residence around 6.30 pm and left 10 minutes later as
he was not at his residence.
The ED team then arrived at the senior Congress leader’s residence around 7.30 pm.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram. Fearing arrest, Chidambaram then moved the Supreme Court for urgent hearing seeking protection from arrest.
The CBI is investigating Chidambaram in the INX Media case, which it had registered on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during his tenure as Finance Minister.
The ED is probing the money laundering case which it lodged in 2018.