In the latest development in the P. Chidambaram case for his alleged involvement in the INX Media case, the Apex Court has extended CBI custody for him till September 5, 2019. This, however, helped him keep away from judicial custody, in which he could have been sent to Tihar Jail.
His lawyer and Congress colleague, Kapil Sibal fought against the extended custody line and argued for the 74-year-old. He said that Mr. Chidambaram should be protected and said that he has already spent 11 days in CBI custody since his arrest on August 21.
As per reports, Kapil Sibal had appealed to the Supreme Court that some protection should be given to Chidambaram. He quoted his age and said that he can be put under house arrest and not sent to Tihar Jail.
The Supreme Court also directed Mr. Chidambaram to apply for regular bail before the competent court. Right now, in CBI custody, Mr Chidambaram has been lodged in a ‘suite’ at the guest-house floor of the agency’s headquarters in Delhi. A judicial custody would mean he may be taken to Tihar.
On the plea of being given a house arrest option, the top court said that house arrest was an option only for political prisoners. They also asked him to make that request before the special CBI court, which has to decide on his custody.
The agency, is of course, unrelenting and has insisted that he should be granted no protection.
The Supreme Court will take his case up again on Thursday.