New Delhi: P Chidambaram who was incommunicado emerged at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi and addressed media personnel. For nearly 27 hours, P Chidambaram’s whereabouts were unknown. Several moments later, the former Union minister was arrested by officials and reportedly transported to CBI headquarters.  

He left the AICC headquarters soon after making a speech along with other senior Congress leaders, including Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Also read: INX Media case: P Chidambaram’s role of ‘monumental magnitude’

Minutes after the Congress leader reached his house, CBI thronged his abode in Jor Bagh and scaled the walls of the perimeter fence after repeated knocks at the gate did not yield any response.

Soon after, the ED team also reached his residence to make an arrest. 

The former Union minister in the press conference today (August 21) said, "I believe that the foundation of a democracy is liberty... if I am asked to choose between life and liberty, I shall in-hesitantly choose liberty".

The scripted speech also had him utter these words: “In the INX Media case, I have not been accused of any offense, nor has anyone else, including any member of my family been accused of any offense. My lawyers advised me to move the SC. On my behalf, they did so yesterday evening and today. I hope that the investigation agencies will respect the law, he said.

Also read: INX media case: Congress calls Chidambaram’s turmoil payback by Amit Shah; BJP refutes claim of vendetta

The Delhi high court did not honour his anticipatory-bail plea and the Supreme Court was willing to hear the bail plea in the INX Media case only on Friday, August 23.

The Delhi high court had on Tuesday refused to grant any protection to Chidambaram from arrest by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.

He failed to get an audience from Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday or Wednesday for urgent hearing of his appeal in the Supreme Court against the Delhi high court’s dismissal of his anticipatory bail plea.

Also read: INX media case: High drama at Chidambaram residence as CBI, ED move in to make arrest