The vanishing act of crooked and corrupt former Finance and Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram for over 24 hours did not help him escape the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). After the dramatic turn of events on Wednesday, CBI sleuths arrested him. CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths reached Chidambaram’s Jor Bagh home soon after he reached after appearing in the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office after 27 hours of the disappearance. The unlimited bag of tricks of PC ran dry with the Supreme Court not taking up Delhi High Court’s Justice Sunil Gaur’s Order quashing his interim bail. Chidambaram and friends surfaced in the AICC Office around 8 PM and tried to re-enact a two-decade-old drama like that of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Chief late Karunanidhi’s arrest. Unlike Karunanidhi, Chidambaram did not go kicking and screaming, when sleuths picked him.
There are different versions in Delhi about where exactly Chidambaram was hiding from August 20 evening onwards till he surfaced in the AICC office on August 21 night. Some say he hid at Sonia Gandhi’s residence, 10 Janpath which borders the AICC office, with a special path to the party office. Some say, he hid at lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi’s home. Some say, he stayed at some friendly lady’s home, for whom Chidambaram managed a Padmashri in 2013. This businesswoman living at Golf Links Road is considered as a Chidambaram Benami and a good friend.
Chidambaram was exposed in the Aircel-Maxis scam by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in April 2012 and Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raid in December 2014 in connection with Aircel-Maxis scam at Chidambaram’s home and Karti’s companies exposed the INX-Media scam. The bribery in INX Media’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance was found by ED’s Investigating Officer Rajeshwar Singh, who also unearthed Chidambaram family’s illegal assets in 14 countries and 21 foreign bank accounts ranging up to three billion dollars. PGurus have reported this in detail in an article titled ‘Chidambara Rahasya’[1].
In the INX-Media case, Chidambaram is expected to be confronted with his co-accused turned approver Indrani Mukerjea and other accused.
On Thursday, Chidambaram will be produced before the trial Court or Duty Magistrate by afternoon or evening and the CBI will seek 14-day custody. Except in terror-related cases, agencies will be allowed to keep an accused up to a maximum of 14 days in their custody.
In Chidambaram’s INX Media case, soon after CBI custody, ED will also arrest Chidambaram and seek 14 days custody. Then he will be kept in Judicial custody (in jail) by the trial Judge, till he gets bail. During Judicial Custody, the agencies need Judge’s clearance to question him.
In the INX-Media case, Chidambaram is expected to be confronted with his co-accused turned approver Indrani Mukerjea and other accused. Either the agencies may take Chidambaram to Mumbai jail where Indrani is kept or Indrani and another accused her husband Peter Mukerjea will be brought to Delhi.
Confronting with Indrani and Peter will be a nightmare to Chidambaram who demanded many sleazy things from them apart from accepting Rs.5 crores bribe in son Karti’s companies.
References:
[1] Chidambara Rahasya – Details of huge secret assets and foreign bank accounts of Chidambaram family – Mar 15, 2017, PGurus.com
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Wrong posting. It was her father who died abroad. She’s from the illustrious PSG family & her husband is from Lakshmi group.
Great news that PC is arrested and facing questions by CBI in the very same building that was inagurated by him. Karma theory is correct.
I live in Canada( Tamilian from Madras migrated to Canada) and it is a shame to see an educated person like PC thought he is above law and he was doing mischief with public money. There were also allegations against him on exim scrips back in the 90’s. It was rumored that he made tons of money from the exim scrip scheme.
I am not able to get the book “C Company ” from Amazon. Can any one help me in giving me an idea of how to buy this book?
He shamelessly says that the his name is not there in the FIR!! Is it legally tenable? Or is it his escape route? Only time will tell.
It is mind boggling to go through the details of properties owned by his son! No straight forward person can own such properties. I have seen Nalini Chidambaram who was the standing council for income tax department arguing income tax cases in Madras high court.
The Pandora’s box is just opening now!
Is it jor bagh OR CHOR BAGH Residence ? Mr Sambu, has commented, we should elect leaders with good moral character. In the present scenario it is very difficult, but NOT impossible. We should INCULCATE moral characteristics from CHILDHOOD. Don’t teach, but tell the school going children MORAL STORIES in order to develop them as a fine human being with impeccable moral character.
Dr Swamy is the God sent man to India. All his cases are the last nail in their coffins. After this more heads will roll.
Mera Bharath Mahan Hai
What a relief!
Assets are now in Chidambaram’s Granddaughter’s name.
Why has she not been picked up, as a co- conspirator ?
It is very sad to see modi continuously ignoring Dr.Swamy who single handedly exposed corruption issues of many high profile people with his himalayan intellect,courage and determination.Everycharge of Dr.Swamy is becoming true.Yet modi even after staring a very uncertain economic future of our nation doesn’t offer Dr.Swamy the FM job with a free hand who will not only hunt down criminals and economic offenders to bring prosperity to millions of indians,but with set our country’s economic order correct for the first time after independence.Modi is doing a big mistake by ignoring Dr.Swamy and the country is going to pay a big price for this and modi alone will be responsible for this monumental failure.
National Herald case, multiple passport case, Air India destruction case, Agusta Westland case – there is a veritable buffet that hopefully will be served soon!
For Me Yesterday was the most “Achhe Din” in My Life.Thanx God and Dr Swamy.
If Ministers, that too in high offices with unquestionable power, money, rights, privileges & perks are corrupt without character do they deserve to rule us? These people are no less then hard criminals. They always keep the innocent public far away by either some monetary benefits or creating the divide of the society with reservations/ religion. Their greatness advertised through the so called intellectuals who are on their pay Rolls while these so called ministers loot the nation with the bureaucrats undauntedly?Over long years this attitude has trickled down with “Mamools/Chaipani” at the lowest levels of Panchayats/staff at the lowest level of administration. They are so powerful that they manipulate judiciary too to their advantage even at the cost of Nation’s security. These are the “Trustees” of our nation? Soon after independence there has been no attempt by the then leaders to induce character in the nation? The nation still continues this cancer & needs a serious surgery at all levels? We need to elect leaders with Character.
Great comment depicting the true mentality of bigwigs, media, bureaucrats and rotten judicial system in the country. Let the rot be stemmed now at least.
Well got it. Is it Rajshree Pathy where her husband died mysteriously after a meal in Netherlands. When you connect the dots from TN to Harward & checked the 2013 Padma Shree awards list, its obvious about Chidhuu…
Fate is catching up with him. He, along with praful Patel made Airindia go bankrupt by giving all lucrative flying rights to airline companies of Gulf and AI has suffered.
Ethu veraiyaaa?
They have looted n destroyed India… From 2004-2014