P Chidambaram Referred To AIIMS For Medical Check-Up On Complaint Of Stomach Ache

Congress leader P Chidambaram, who is lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the INX media case, has been referred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for a medical check up after he complained of stomach ache, reported news agency ANI. According to the agency, he has not been admitted to the hospital yet.

Chidambaram is in the custody since his arrest by the CBI on August 21. On Friday, he had moved to the Surpeme Court against Delhi High Court's September 30 verdict dismissing his bail plea. The top court, taking note of his plea, issued a notice to the CBI, asking it to respond on Chidambaram's plea seeking bail in the INX Media corruption case.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister. Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.

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At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidmabaram referred to the high court's September 30 verdict and said that the high court had applied three tests-- flight risk, tampering of evidence and influencing witness-- while deciding the bail petition.

Sibal said that on two counts, flight risk and tampering of evidence, the high court has ruled in favour of Chidambaram, while on the third count of influencing witnesses, the verdict has gone against the senior Congress leader.

"This is concerning the CBI case. What has happened to the ED's case," the bench asked Sibal and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi who was also representing Chidambaram.

Sibal and Sighvi told the bench that they would take 30 minutes to argue the matter. The bench told Mehta to file the response on behalf of the CBI and posted the mater for hearing on October 15. Mehta told the court that he would file response on behalf of CBI by October 14.

(With PTI inputs)