The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram after 105 days in custody in the INX Media money laundering case lodged. The Supreme Court said Chidambaram should not temper with evidence and not influence witnesses. He has also been asked to avoid giving press interviews related to the case. He was given bail on a personal bond worth Rs 2 lakh, with two sureties of the like amount.
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After his father was released on bail, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram took to Twitter, saying "...At last after 106 days".
The apex court set aside the Delhi High Court's November 15 verdict denying bail to the former Union finance minister, who has been in custody for 105 days since August 21 when he was arrested by the CBI in the INX Media corruption case.
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A three-judge bench, headed by Justice R Banumathi and comprising Justices AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, restrained Chidambaram from making any statements with regard to the case.
The 74-year-old was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case. On October 16 this year, the ED had taken him into custody and lodged him in Tihar jail.
The CBI had registered an FIR against Chidambaram on 15 May 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance provided to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when he was the finance minister. Following which, the ED registered a money laundering case in 2018.
Edited by Manoj Sharma with agency inputs