SC to hear CBI plea against Delhi HC's Chidambaram findings

New Delhi, Oct 14 (IANS) The CBI on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court findings that former Union Minister P. Chidambaram, who has been arrested in the INX Media case, was not a flight risk and also could not tamper with the evidence.

The apex court agreed to hear the Central Bureau of Investigation's plea on Tuesday and clubbed it with the appeal filed by Chidambaram against the high court's September 30 verdict, which denied him bail while making these observations.

Advocate Rajat Nair, representingthe CBI, mentioned the case before a bench headed by Justice R Banumathi requested for an early hearing on the matter. The high court had considered three aspects while deciding Chidambaram's bail petition -- flight risk, tampering with evidence and influencing of witnesses. The High Court observed that there is a probability that Chidambaram could influence the witnesses, if granted bail.

On Monday, a trial court also reserved its order on the Enforcement Directorate's plea seeking Chidambaram's custodial interrogation in money-laundering case in the INX Media case. The apex court had issued a notice to the CBI seeking its response on Chidambaram's plea challenging the High Court order.

Chidambaram was arrested on August 21, and he is currently lodged in the Tihar jail, under judicial custody, till October 17 in the case.