Delhi HC defers Chidambaram's regular bail plea due to lawyers' strike

The Delhi High Court on Monday deferred for November 6 the hearing in the regular bail plea filed by former Union finance minister P Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media money laundering case after the court's bar association decided to abstain from work.

The Delhi High Court Bar Association took the decision to show solidarity with the lawyers who sustained injuries during their clashes with the Delhi Police at the court complex on Saturday.

The bail application of Chidambaram, who is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar jail, was slated to be heard today.

The ED, which is probing the money laundering charges against him, had on October 16 arrested Chidambaram and secured his custody from a special court. Subsequently, he was sent to the judicial custody till November 13.

After he filed the regular bail plea, the agency opposed it by asserting that he used the high office of the country "for his personal gains"

"Proceeds of crime were generated on the act done by P Chidambaram in his capacity as the finance minister. Considering the gravity of the offences against him, bail should not be granted," the agency submitted.

The ED said that the grant of bail to him by the court would go against its zero-tolerance policy against corruption and set a wrong precedent for corruption cases

Chidambaram was, however, granted bail by the Supreme Court on October 22 in the INX Media corruption case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The case pertains to an FIR registered by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 by Chidambaram when he was the Finance Minister. Thereafter, a case was registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

( With inputs from ANI )