INX Media case: SC rejects CBI plea seeking review of bail given to P Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: In a big setback to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected its plea seeking the review of its earlier order granting bail to the former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram in the INX Media alleged corruption case. 

It may be noted that the top court had on October 22 last year granted bail to Chidambaram in the case saying he was neither a "flight risk" nor was there a possibility of "his absence from the trial".

Dismissing the CBI plea, the top court bench headed by Justice R Banumathi said the last year verdict does not suffer from any error apparent warranting its reconsideration.

"Application for oral hearing the review petition in open court is rejected. We have perused the review petition and the connected papers carefully and are convinced that the order, of which review has been sought, does not suffer from any error apparent warranting its reconsideration," the bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, said.

"The review petition is, accordingly, dismissed," the bench said in its June 2 order which was uploaded on the apex court website on Thursday.

The veteran Congress leader was arrested by the CBI on August 21 last year in the corruption case which was registered on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007, during his tenure as finance minister.

Chidambaram has categorically denied all the allegations levelled against him in the case.