SC Grants Bail To Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram In INX Media Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (22 October) granted bail to former Finance minister P. Chidambaram in the INX Media corruption case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

However, he will remain in Enforcement Directorate custody as he is still under arrest in the INX Media money laundering case.

The order was delivered by a bench of Justices R Banumathi, AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, which directed him not to leave the country without permission.

The court also directed Chidambaram to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and two sureties of like amount each.

On 18 October, the court had reserved its order on the former minister's plea. The CBI had opposed Chidambaram's bail plea, saying that he had tried to "pressurise and influence" key witnesses in the INX Media case.

Chidambaram was arrested on 21 August, and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in judicial custody.

The CBI has on Friday (18 October) chargesheeted him with the other accused in the INX Media corruption case.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)