Palaniappan Chidambaram is in jail. On 20/8/2019 Justice Sunil Gaur of Delhi High Court rejected his anticipatory bail application in two cases of corruption and money laundering related to INX Media. The court said it was a classic case of money laundering and Chidambaram is the kingpin i.e., the key conspirator in the case. Later that day CBI team went to his house. He was not found. CBI officers pasted a notice to appear before them in two hours.
On 21/8/2019 Chidambaram’s lawyers tried to get a hearing from Supreme Court to prevent his arrest. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid and others represented him. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for CBI and opposed granting bail to Chidambaram. Bench of Justices N. V. Ramana, Mohan M. Shantangoudar and Ajay Rastogi heard the arguments. Justice Ramana said he was sending the matter to CJI. Sibal cited urgency. Justice Ramana replied “Usually, we send all these proceedings in the evening. In your case, we are sending immediately to the Chief Justice. The five judge bench headed by CJI was hearing Ayodhya case. It dispersed at 4 p.m. after ending day’s hearings. At 4.45 p.m. the office of the Registrar (Listing) informed Chidambaram’s lawyers that the case has been listed for 23/8/2019.
Meanwhile many talked of Chidambaram as an absconder. Chidambaram held a press conference at Congress office on Akbar Road and read a statement. He said he was not running away. He wanted a hearing. He was working whole night and day with his lawyers. Between life and liberty he will choose liberty. He is not accused. There is no chargesheet against him.
After that Chidambaram left for his Jor Bagh residence. CBI officers could not get through the door. They scaled the wall and arrested him.
Chidambaram was Finance Minister and Home Minister of India. He is a Rajya Sabha member. He is a member of CWC. Congress spoke against his arrest.
When India Against Corruption had a movement it had list of 15 ministers who were said to be corrupt. Chidambaram was one of them. The list included Kapil Sibal and Salman Khurshid. Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted wives of Chidambaram and Khurshid are also corrupt. If CBI had been free, they all would have been in jail.
Congress and supporting parties have condemned Chidambaram’s arrest and called it political vendetta. BJP justified Chidambaram’s arrest. AAP, SP, BSP, TRS and YSRCP have been silent.
There was no chargesheet against Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy. He spent many months in jail. That was because he opposed Sonia Gandhi. She overruled the demand of AP Congress MLAs that Jaganmohan be made CM. Jaganmohan was unhappy. He used his TV channel against Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders. Chidambaram was minister. Jaganmohan landed in jail. That was political vendetta.
At one time Chidambaram was Home Minister and Amit Shah was in jail. Today Amit Shah is Home Minister and Chidambaram is in jail. The wheel turns.
Chidambaram was a guest at inauguration of CBI headquarters on 30/11/2011. Chidambaram spent the night after his arrest in suite no. 5 of guest house.
