INX Media Case: “Don’t Want Anyone To Be Arrested,” Jailed Chidambaram Defends Involved Officers

In a message sent by him from behind the bars, through his family members, Chidambaram said that “no officer has done anything wrong. I do not want anyone to be arrested.”

P.Chidambaram. FILE PIC/AFP

New Delhi: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram who is lodged in Tihar jail in connection with the INX media case, on Monday defended the officers involved, saying he did not want anyone to be arrested as they had not done anything wrong. In a message sent by him from behind the bars, through his family members, Chidambaram said that “no officer has done anything wrong. I do not want anyone to be arrested.” A message tweeted from his official Twitter handle read: “I have requested my family to tweet on my behalf the following." "People have asked me 'If the dozen officers who processed and recommended the case to you have not been arrested, why have you been arrested? Only because you have put the last signature?' I have no answer," the tweet read.

I have requested my family to tweet on my behalf the following :-

People have asked me 'If the dozen officers who processed and recommended the case to you have not been arrested, why have you been arrested? Only because you have put the last signature?' I have no answer. — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 9, 2019

No officer has done anything wrong. I do not want anyone to be arrested.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 9, 2019

The Congress veteran has been sent to 14 days judicial custody in the INX Media case. He can apparently explore legal options after he has spent the requisite time, till September 19, in judicial custody. Chidambaram, the finance minister during the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence. He was earlier produced before the court on August 22 and was remanded to four-day CBI custody. 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. Thereafter, the Enforcement Directorate lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.