INX Media case: CBI officials jumped over the wall to arrest P Chidambaram - WATCH

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram, who had gone incommunicado for a day after his anticipatory bail in the INX Media case was rejected by the Delhi High Court, was arrested by the CBI officials from his residence on Wednesday night amid high drama.

According to a video shared by news agency ANI, the CBI officials jumped over the walls to enter the residence of the former Union minister in order to arrest him.

Having gone incommunicado for almost a day after the Delhi High Court rejected his anticipatory bail application against his arrest in the INX Media case, Chidambaram surfaced at the Congress party head office here on Wednesday evening. 

The senior Congress leader addressed a press conference during which he said that he had full faith in the judiciary and respected the law of the land. He also accused the Narendra Modi government of a witch-hunt in the INX Media case against him and dubbed the CBI action ''politically motivated.''

He also rejected the charges against him and his son in the INX Media case and said "lies" were being spread by "pathological liars.''

CBI, which had earlier issued a lookout notice against him, rushed to the Congress headquarters to arrest him. But, by then, the Congress veteran and other leaders had left the premises.

The CBI team then rushed to his Jor Bagh residence, flanked by the Enforcement Directorate and Delhi Police teams.

Upon reaching there, the CBI officers scaled the wall and jumped inside to arrest Chidambaram after they were denied entry from the main gate.

#WATCH Delhi: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official jumps the gate of P Chidambaram's residence to get inside. CBI has issued a Look-Out Notice against him. pic.twitter.com/WonEnoAgR4 — ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2019

Supporters of the former Finance Minister raised slogans and tried to stop officials from taking him away. Some of them also blocked the road in protest.

CBI sources said that Chidambaram was arrested on an arrest warrant issued by a competent court.

Chidambaram is likely to be produced before a special CBI court at the Rouse Avenue on Thursday.

The CBI and ED filed caveats in the Supreme Court over Chidambaram`s plea seeking protection from arrest in the INX media case.

The CBI had on late Tuesday night put up a notice outside his residence to appear before them in two hours prompting his lawyer to request the investigation agency not to take any coercive action until the hearing of Chidambaram`s plea in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.