INX media case: CBI gets 5-day custody of Karti Chidambaram; Congress cries vendetta

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday sent Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti to five-day CBI custody in the INX Media alleged bribery case. CBI Judge Sunil Rana extended Karti's custody till March 6 after three hours of heated arguments between Karti's lawyer and the CBI counsel. The CBI contended that there were "very shocking evidences" of what he has done when he went abroad and alleging when he went abroad, he closed bank accounts in which funds were received, PTI reported. Karti was produced before the court on expiry of one-day CBI custody. His parents P Chidambaram and Nalini Chidambaram, both senior advocates, were also present in the court. The court, however, disallowed Karti's plea for home-cooked food but directed that he could be allowed medicines and a medical examination would also be done. ALSO READ: What is the INX media case in which Karti Chidambaram has been arrested Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the CBI, told the court that Karti spent the whole night in the cardiac care unit of Safdarjung Hospital and came to the CBI only in the morning. "He was only questioned for a few hours. It is amazing that despite no history of cardiac problem, doctors advised him to be in the CCU," IANS quoted Mehta as saying. On expiry of one-day CBI custody, Mehta said one-day remand was not enough to question him and the CBI needed 14 days to interrogate Karti. "It is a serious finance corruption case and needs to be investigated thoroughly. And thus his custody is required," he said. ALSO READ: Karti Chidambaram held on arrival for Rs 10 lakh Senior advocate Abhishek Mani Singhvi, who is leading a team of lawyers for Karti, contended that in connection with the May 2017 FIR, CBI has spent roughly 22 hours with Karti in August last year and no fresh summons was issued to him after August 2017 till date, which shows the agency has nothing more to ask him. "The only way of establishing non-cooperation is to issue summons. You never tested my non-cooperation. Sudden arrest after six months. Its bizarre, I am arrested as I stepped out of plane. "There is not an iota of evidence against Karti. He is being arrested despite complying with court orders repeatedly." he said. Singhvi asked if Karti has done something illegal while being abroad, why didn t CBI file a contempt petition before the court which allowed him to travel abroad. CBI Singing parrot of government: Congress Terming Karti's arrest as "pure vendetta", Congress leader and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal said investigating agencies have become "a singing parrot" of the government. "It shows the desperation of the investigating agencies which have charged Karti for amassing properties and bank accounts. There is not even an iota of evidence against him. Having failed to collect evidence, the CBI is now taking refuge of (CrPC Section) 164 statement (of Indrani Mukerjea). "This is the character of investigating organisations in India today who are no longer caged parrots, but a singing parrot of the government," PTI quoted Sibal as saying. (With inputs from agencies)