P Chidambaram has been in Delhi's Tihar jail since October 30.
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram, who has been in custody for more than three months since his arrest in corruption and money laundering cases, on Wednesday questioned the denial of bail to him during a hearing in the Supreme Court. The 74-year-old Congress veteran had moved the top court after his request for bail in the INX media money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate was rejected by the Delhi High Court earlier this month.
"The high court denies me bail saying that releasing me will send a wrong signal, as if I am some Ranga Billa," senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, representing P Chidambaram, said. Ranga and Billa were hanged in 1982 for the shocking kidnapping and murder of two teenaged siblings in Delhi.
"It is the 99th day I'm in jail... ED (Enforcement Directorate) never interrogated me. I was not confronted with any witnesses. (Mr Chidambaram) was found not to be either flight risk, tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses. Yet High Court rejected bail," Mr Sibal said.
"Not one email, one SMS, not one document has been found that connects me to anything. All the others are out, yet I'm in jail because they call me the 'kingpin'. Just because I am father of Karti Chidambaram, I am targeted," he said.
After hearing Mr Chidambaram's defence, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing till Thursday. P Chidambaram has been in Delhi's Tihar jail since October 30 and had approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's November 15 ruling which denied him bail. He had been arrested by the CBI in August by the CBI.
Mr Chidambaram has been accused of creating a web of shell companies and several foreign bank accounts to launder money. He also faces charges of misusing his position as Finance Minister of the country in 2007 while facilitating a huge infusion of foreign funds in INX Media at the instance of his son Karti Chidambaram in a separate case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI.
The Enforcement Directorate has opposed his bail plea and filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, alleging that there is sufficient evidence to show that he has been "indulging in destruction of evidence" and "influencing" witnesses.
A Delhi court meanwhile extended Mr Chidambaram's judicial custody till December 11 in the Enforcement Directorate case.