CBI Scales Boundary Walls To Enter Chidambaram's Residence, Arrests Former FM In INX Media Case

High drama was witnessed on Wednesday night at P Chidambaram's residence here in Jor Bagh area as a CBI team that reached here had to scale the boundary wall of his bungalow to enter his premises.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials arrest Congress leader P Chidambaram. PTI Photo

NEW DELHI: High drama was witnessed on Wednesday night at P Chidambaram's residence in Jor Bagh area as a CBI team that reached here had to scale the boundary wall of his bungalow to enter the premises. It all started after Chidambaram, who was "untraceable" and facing threat of arrest, surfaced at the Congress headquarters in the evening and told the media that he was not hiding from the law but seeking the protection of the law. Soon after professing his innocence, the former finance minister, along with Supreme Court lawyers and senior party colleagues Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, drove to his 115-A residence. Within minutes, a team CBI officials reached there and knocked at the gates but got no response. After waiting for some time, the officials the nearly five-ft high walls to gain entry and opened the gates for other sleuths. The CBI also sought the help of the Delhi police to main the law and order situation. Soon a team of ED officials also arrived at the scene. Also, another small team of officials rushed to the backdoor to secure all entry and exit points of the bungalow. A team of about two dozen officials was present at the bungalow with Chidambaram being inside with Sibal and Singhvi. Initially, it was reported that the Congress leader was being questioned inside his residence but later turned out he was detained by the CBI. Seated in the middle of a white car with CBI personnel sitting on his either side, Chidambaram was driven straight to the headquarters of the probe agency, where he was taken into custody at 10:16 pm. His son Karti Chidambaram termed the entire episode as "political witch-hunt". "The drama and spectacle being enacted by the agencies is to simply sensationalise and satisfy the voyeuristic pleasure of some," he said. "There is no officer who has the courage to close a file stating that there is no case, when there is no case. Never ending investigations is the tool and method of harassment," Karti, who is an accused in the INX media case, said. Earlier, while addressing the media at Congress office, Chidambaram claimed that he will walk with his head held high and wait for the Supreme Court's decision on his plea on Friday. Rejecting reports of his evading the law, Chidambaram said: "I am aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law. On the contrary, I was seeking the protection of the law. I was aghast that I was accused of running away from justice. On the contrary, I was engaged in the pursuit of justice." "I believe that the foundation of a democracy is liberty, most precious article of the Constitution is Article 21 that guarantees life and liberty. If I'm asked to choose between life and liberty, I shall unhesitatingly choose liberty," he told the press. "To win freedom we must struggle. To preserve freedom too we must struggle," he added. "In the INX media case, I have not been accused of any offence, nor is anyone else, including any member of my family been accused of any offence. In fact, there is no charge sheet filed by either the CBI or the ED before a competent court. And statements recorded by the CBI does not impute to me any wrongdoing. Yet there is a widespread impression that grave offences have been committed, and my son and I have committed those offences. Nothing can be further from the truth. These are lies spread by pathological liars," Chidambaram said.