Chicago: Embattled US singer R. Kelly, who has been indicted on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, was jailed here for failing to pay $161,000 in child support to his former wife, officials said.

He was jailed on Wednesday evening and supporters were working to get Kelly, 52, out of jail by March 13, the next date of hearing in the child support case, CNN quoted publicist Darrell Johnson as saying at a press conference later in the night at the Richard J. Daley Centre here.

According to court documents, Kelly owed more than $169,000 in unpaid child support to his former wife as of February 6. He was ordered to make a monthly payment of $20,833 on January 8, 2009, but Kelly failed. To avoid being held in contempt of court, a judge earlier on Wednesday ordered Kelly to pay $161,663.

The news came the same day CBS aired the first part of an interview Kelly in which he directly addressed his indictment last month.

His attorney entered not guilty pleas in that case for him, and on CBS, Kelly maintained he was innocent.

Kelly is out on bail of $100,000 for that case and has another court date March 22.

Kelly breaks down in interview:

In his first ever interview after he was arrested and released, Kelly denied the sexual abuse allegations against him.

In an interview with CBS News' Gayle King, Kelly became emotional while talking about the charges filed against him, reports variety.com.

"I didn't do this stuff, this is not me, I'm fighting for my expletive life," the "Ignition" hitmaker said.

The interview came after Kelly was released from jail on a $100,000 bond after pleading not guilty to 10 sexual abuse charges against three minors.

Asked about the accounts of abuse, Kelly categorised them as "rumours".

"Not true. Whether they're old rumours, new rumours, future rumours, not true," he added.

He also asked people to start using "common sense" before judging him.

Kelly said: "Forget the blogs, forget how you feel about me. Hate me if you want to, love me if you want. But just use your common sense. How stupid would it be for me, with my crazy past and what I've been through - oh right now I just think I need to be monster, hold girls against their will, chain them up in my basement, and don't let them eat, don't let them out, unless they need some shoes down the street from their uncle.

"This is not me! I'm fighting for my f***ing life."

The interview will air on "CBS This Morning" on Friday.