P Chidambaram's CBI Custody Extended To Friday After Bad Day In Courts

P Chidambaram and his son Karti were named by INX Media co-founders Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, who are in jail in Mumbai for the murder of Indrani's daughter Sheena Bora

NEW DELHI:  P Chidambaram's CBI custody has been extended for four days, a Delhi court ruled on Monday. The order came after the CBI sought a five-day extension, arguing that the Congress leader's confrontation with the co-accused was not complete. The agency also claimed that Mr Chidambaram was "uncooperative" during his interrogation in custody after his arrest last Wednesday in a corruption investigation. Mr Chidambaram, who was produced in the court, faced a setback earlier in the day after the Supreme Court refused to take up his petition requesting protection from arrest by the CBI - filed on Wednesday - saying it was "infructuous" now as he had since been arrested.

Here is your 10-point cheatsheet to this big story:

1. "We need five days of custody of Chidambaram as the confrontation with co-accused will continue to unearth larger conspiracy," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court on behalf of the CBI. Mr Chidambaram was brought before Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar by the CBI as his four-day custodial interrogation-- which the agency had secured on August 22-- expired.

2. "I have a right to be heard," Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court on behalf of Mr Chidambaram earlier today, referring to the team's failed attempts to get a top court hearing on the former minister's request for pre-arrest bail on Tuesday and Wednesday, after which he was arrested by the CBI. Mr Chidambaram's lawyers argued that when the court said the petition would be heard on Friday, the agency should have waited instead of arresting him on Wednesday.

3. Mr Chidambaram is accused by the CBI of facilitating a huge infusion of foreign funds into the media company INX Media in 2007, when he was finance minister, at the instance of his son Karti Chidambaram, who allegedly received kickbacks for his role.

4. Mr Chidambaram and his son were named by INX Media co-founders Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, who are in jail in Mumbai for the murder of Indrani's daughter Sheena Bora. Indrani Mukerjea, who turned approver in the case, reportedly revealed details of her meeting with the Chidambarams.

5. The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money-laundering case linked to the INX Media allegations. Last week, the Supreme Court had restrained the agency from arresting him till today.

6. The Enforcement Directorate, in an affidavit, alleges that Mr Chidambaram and his aides and co-conspirators (names withheld by the directorate) created a web of shell companies in India and abroad for money laundering.

7. "Whether Chidambaram is Ex-Finance Minister and former Home Minister or an ordinary citizen, pre-arrest bail should not be granted and it will be travesty of Justice if the top court considers the accused's plea," says the agency.

8. The senior Congress leader was arrested on Wednesday evening amid high drama after his lawyers failed to get the Supreme Court to urgently hear his request for protection against arrest by the CBI.

9. Mr Chidambaram, who hadn't been seen since the previous evening, surfaced dramatically at a Congress press conference on Wednesday and then drove to his home in South Delhi, where CBI officers arrested him.

10. On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Mr Chidambaram's request for anticipatory bail, after which he petitioned the Supreme Court.

source: ndtv.com