Live updates: Chidambaram's family accuses government of political vendetta

This comes a day after the top court sent Chidambaram to further Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody till August 30 in INX Media case.

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In a major relief for former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, the Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim protection granted to him from arrest in a ED case in connection with INX Media corruption case. This comes a day after a CBI court sent Chidambaram to further Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody till August 30, Friday. 

Here are the live updates:

27 August 2019

17:00 PM

P Chidambaram's family on Tuesday released a statement, accusing the media of playing into the centre's hands by making "wild, unverified and unsubstantiated allegations" against him. The family claimed in the statement that the government's motive is to demonize and humiliate the former finance minister.

15:20 PM

SC extends interim protection granted to P Chidambaram from arrest in a case being probed by Enforcement Directorate. SC to continue to hear tomorrow plea of Chidambaram against Delhi HC order dismissing his anticipatory plea.

INX Media case: Supreme Court extends interim protection granted to senior advocate P Chidambaram from arrest in a case being probed by Enforcement Directorate. SC to continue to hear tomorrow plea of P Chidambaram against Delhi HC order dismissing his anticipatory plea. pic.twitter.com/41wA2dCvOI

— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2019

13:12 PM

Chidambaram’s lawyer cites an order by the Delhi High Court, which says that the Congress leader has not been giving clear answers to the questions by agencies, and it is because of this reason that remand was sought and request was made to prevent any interim relief. “Can any person be forced to answer as per the requirement of a probe agency? Isn’t that a violation of Article 21?” asks the lawyer.

12:49 PM

Chidambaram’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi says that the sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, under which the former minister is charged, did not even exist when the transaction of money took place. A person is being made a kingpin for a crime that did not even exist at that time, said Singhvi.

12:36 PM

Chidambaram’s lawyer argues before the Supreme Court that if the statement of an accused is recorded by the ED, it is the right of the accused to produce the same before the court.

12:05 PM

Hearing on Chidambaram's plea, seeking protection from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, begins in Supreme Court.

12:02 PM

The CBI may seek permission from court to conduct a lie-detector test on Chidambaram. The investigating agency may also seek permission to bring Chidambaram and Indrani Mukherjee face-to-face for questioning. According to sources, Chidambaram has not been giving clear answers to questions related to testimony made by Indrani.

09:28 AM

During the hearing, Justice R Banumathi observed that Chidambaram's plea against anticipatory bail has become infructuous and his lawyers had not yet filed a third petition against the CBI remand. “It has not been listed so far. And we can't pass order on listing. It is for the CJI to do”, the Supreme Court had said.

09:27 AM

On Monday, the Supreme Court had declined to convert Chidambaram's petition against rejection of anticipatory bail by the Delhi High Court into a petition for regular bail. The apex court also refused to "entertain" Chidambaram's petition against the CBI.