A special leave petition was filed in Supreme Court bylawyers of former finance minister P Chidambaram seeking interim relief afterthe Delhi high court denied his anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media case onTuesday. “None of the three grounds to deny bail were made out (by the HC):there is no allegation that the petitioner is likely to flee justice; or thatthe petitioner is likely to influence the witnesses; or that the petitioner islikely to tamper with the evidence,” said the petition filed by Chidambaram.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed Chidambaram’s pleaand said it is a case of “monumental magnitude”.The INX Media case relates toirregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance givento the group for receiving Rs 305 crore overseas funds. Chidambaram was thefinance minister at that time.

CBI, ED at Chidambaram's house after Delhi HC refusespre-arrest bail

CBI and ED officers reached the residence of former UnionMinister Palaniappan Chidambaram on Tuesday evening.Chidambaram had approachedthe Supreme Court seeking protection from arrest hours after his anticipatorybail plea was rejected in the Delhi high court. Chidambaram’s lawyers were toldto go to the top court on Wednesday morning.Both the Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing the case.The CBI registered a first information report in the case on May 15, 2017alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance; the ED lodged a money launderingcase a year later.Indrani Mukerjea and her husband Peter Mukherjea, whoco-founded INX Media in 2007, had been charged with entering into a criminalconspiracy with Karti Chidambaram, P Chidambaram’s son. The Mukerjeas areaccused of trying to get foreign investments and evade punitive measures fornot having the necessary approvals from the FIPB.Karti Chidambaram was arrestedby CBI in February last year. He was released on bail in March. P Chidambaramwas also questioned by the ED in January this year and on December 19 lastyear.