Former union minister P Chidambaram was today arrested over the INX media case amid high drama outside his residence, which saw CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials climb the walls of his residence to make the arrest. A huge presence of P Chidambaram's supporters and those protesting his arrest, along with a huge media presence resulted in chaos and the calling of the CRPF to reign in the security situation.
Earlier today evening, P Chidambaram appeared at the party office and addressed a press conference. Referring to the CBI's lookout circular against him in the INX Media case, he said he was not hiding from the law, but was seeking protection from it.
Earlier, Mr Chidambaram was granted no immediate relief by the Supreme Court this morning after he asked for an urgent hearing on his petition against the rejection of anticipatory bail in the INX Media case. "It is a monumental magnitude of money laundering case," the CBI told the top court, which forwarded his petition to the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
The Supreme Court will hear P Chidambaram's plea on the INX Media case on Friday, as per lawyers.
In his petition, Mr Chidambaram had told the Supreme Court to take up his case for interim relief urgently, arguing that his antecedents are impeccable and there was no possibility of him "fleeing from justice". Requesting more time to appear before the CBI, Mr Chidambaram asked for interim relief "or else he would suffer irreparable loss".