SC Gives Chidambaram Interim Bail in ED Case

The Supreme Court on Friday gives former Finance Minister P Chidambaram interim bail in Enforcement Directorate case till Monday.

However,he will continue to stay under arrest as the apex court has posted the petitionagainst CBI also for August 26. The Supreme Court also recorded that the formerminister has always been on bail and he has been cooperating with the probe.

LawyerKapil Sibal during the hearing of the Supreme Court for Chidambaram's pleaagainst Enforcement Directorate told that the Delhi High Court order wascopy-pasted from ED notes. Sibal said that if a court starts cut, copy andpaste of a note damming him, what chances can he have to get relief adding thatthis too, after reserving judgment for seven months.

However, duringthe hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Chidambaram's lawyers get intoa heated argument towards the end of the proceedings. While Solicitor GeneralMehta sought to hand over certain documents, Sibal called them fabricated anddecried the practice of tendering papers like this.

The topcourt will take both ED and CBI cases against Chidambaram for hearing onMonday. The court grants protection from arrest to Chidambaram in ED case tillMonday but no relief in CBI case.

Moreover,SG Mehta vehemently opposed the order granting protection from arrest toChidambaram in the money laundering case registered by the ED. The top courtwas hearing two separate petitions filed by Chidambaram challenging the DelhiHigh Court on August 20 verdict by which his anticipatory bail was dismissed inthe cases registered by both the agencies CBI and ED.