HC grants Chidambaram interim protection

New Delhi, May 31: The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest till July 3 to senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram in the INX Media case. Justice A.K. Pathak directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to take any coercive action against Chidambaram till July 3, the next date of hearing. The court has asked CBI to file response on Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail plea. The court also directed Chidambaram to join investigation whenever required. The Congress leader on Wednesday moved high court after he was called by the CBI for questioning in the case. His son Karti Chidambaram was arrested on February 28, for allegedly taking money to facilitate Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media in 2007 when his father was the Union Finance Minister in the UPA government. Karti Chidambaram was later granted bail. Chidambaram also told the court that his son had been fully cooperating with the investigation and had in fact, even appeared before the CBI whenever required. Chidambaram, in his plea, said the present case is mala fide and is borne out of political vendetta. He alleged that the investigating agency is acting at the behest of the Central government, which wants to malign his untainted and unimpeachable reputation as he is a senior leader of the Congress party and was also the former Union Finance Minister and Home Minister. On Wednesday, a special court granted interim protection to Chidambaram from arrest till June 5 in the Aircel-Maxis deal case. (IANS)