Chidambaram to stay in Tihar jail till Oct 17 in INX Media case

New Delhi: A Delhi court Thursday further extended the judicial custody of former finance minister P Chidambaram to October 17, noting that the investigation in the INX Media corruption case is still pending.

Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar sent the veteran Congress leader to jail after the CBI said that the Delhi High Court has dismissed his bail plea and sought extension of his judicial custody.

"The investigation is still pending. It is informed that the bail application of the accused has been dismissed by the Delhi High Court on September 30. Considering the facts mentioned in the application and that there is no change in the circumstances as noted in the earlier orders, the judicial remand of the accused is extended till October 17," the judge said.

Since his arrest on August 21, Chidambaram till Thursday has spent 42 days in custody, both the CBI and judicial, in eight spells.

He was sent to Tihar jail for the first time on September 5 till September 19, when his custody was extended till October 3.

The court however allowed Chidambaram to have home cooked food once a day in Tihar jail, where is lodged, after noting that 74-year old Congress leader is suffering from multiple ailments including inflammation of his digestive tract.

"From the medical record shown by the applicant (Chidambaram), it is apparent that the applicant is suffering from multiple ailments. He is 74 years of age. He is suffering from inflammation of his digestive tract. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the agency, submitted that he has no objection to Chidambaram being provided with home cooked food...

"In these circumstances, it may be conducive to his health condition that he is provided home cooked food once a day to avoid any further deterioration in his health condition," the judge noted.

However, the court clarified that this order is not to be taken as a precedent as the concession for home food was being given in peculiar facts and circumstances and keeping his medical condition in mind.

The court directed the Tihar jail superintendent to take care of Chidambaram's safety and security and to ensure that the food received from home is duly checked and then supplied to him.

The court also said that in case of any medical requirement, Chidambaram should be examined in any multi disciplinary hospital such as AIIMS.

It had on September 19 extended his judicial custody by 14 days saying that the investigation was still in progress.

Chidambaram, who was Union home minister as also finance minister during the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as the finance minister.