In a dramatic development, CBI on Wednesday night took former Finance Minister P Chidambaram into its custody after jumping the gate of his residence in Jor Bagh in Delhi. Also joining the CBI personnel were officials from the Enforcement Directorate.
Chidambaram was taken to the CBI headquarters after being taken into the custody. The CBI Director and senior officials had reached the headquarters in south Delhi before Chidambaram was brought there.
#WATCH P Chidambaram taken away in a car by CBI officials. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/nhE9WiY86C
— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2019
Wednesday’s dramatic developments followed the look-out notice issued by the Enforcement Directorate. Chidambaram had moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday after the Delhi High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea.
Delhi: ED team enters the residence of P Chidambaram. pic.twitter.com/P1ZXC5MpIY
— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2019
Reacting to the CBI’s action against his father, his son Karti Chidambaram tweeted, “”The drama and spectacle being enacted by the agencies is to simply sensationalise and satisfy the voyeuristic pleasure of some.”
The drama and spectacle being enacted by the agencies is to simply sensationalise and satisfy the voyeuristic pleasure of some.
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) August 21, 2019
The CBI had also visited his house last night, but the veteran Congress leader was not there. The CBI’s visit to his house seemingly to arrest him came hours after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea for anticipatory bail. Chidambaram has moved the Supreme Court seeking protection from an imminent arrest.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi had reacted angrily at the action by the CBI and the ED against Chidambaram calling it a part of the central government’s vendetta politics.
Chidambaram is accused of facilitating the huge flow of foreign funds in INX Media when he was the country’s finance minister at the instance of his son Karti Chidambaram. Karti is alleged to have received kickbacks in the case. Karti was arrested and sent to Tihar Jail earlier this year.