Home Asia Congress leader P Chidambaram arrested by CBI

Congress leader P Chidambaram arrested by CBI

CBI arrests P Chidambaram amid high drama
CBI arrests P Chidambaram amid high drama

Congress leader P Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI in the INX Media case, a day after he had gone incommunicado following the rejection of anticipatory bail.

In a dramatic development, Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram was apprehended by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in INX Media case. A video of officials scaling the walls of Chidambaram’s residence has surfaced online.

Chidambaram had addressed a press conference at the Congress headquarters, following which the CBI rushed to the site to make the arrest. However, the Congress leader had left the premises before the CBI arrived.

A team of CBI officials, Enforcement Directorate, and Delhi Police then hastily rushed to his Jor Bagh residence. Some of the officers scaled the walls after they were denied entry to the compound. Other officers gained access to the compound through the back gate. Paramilitary forces CRPF were also deployed outside his residence. The CBI arrested the Congress leader and took him to the CBI headquarters in a white Maruti Ertiga car amid protests from Congress workers.

On Wednesday evening, Chidambaram addressed a press conference where he averred that he was not hiding from the law. “I was aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law… I was pursuing the law. I was working alongside my lawyers for the whole of last night… and the whole day,” he said.

“This is a political witch-hunt. I have nothing to do with INX or the FIPB. All my assets and liabilities are duly declared in statutory and regulatory filings. I have repeated this ad nauseam, (sic),” Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram averred. P Chidambaram has been accused of facilitating foreign investment in the INX Media Company in 2007 while he was Finance Minister in the Congress-led UPA government.