Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram was sent to Tihar jail for two weeks in the high-profile INX Media case. His batch of legal luminaries, which included Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, tried every trick available in the judicial system to save Chidambaram, but the rule of law prevailed.
Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on August 2, and since then has been trying his best to keep himself out of the jail. However, yesterday, his bail plea was rejected by Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar and he was ordered a 14 day judicial custody till September 19.
Nonetheless, if there is one person who deserves applause for exposing Chidambaram’s corruption cases, it is none other than senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP- Subramanian Swamy. He had promised to send Chidambaram to Tihar many years ago, during UPA era, when he started pursuing the corruption cases against the former finance minister.
“At last crooked, corrupt Chidambaram is jailed,” tweeted Subramanian Swamy.
At last crooked, corrupt Chidambaram is jailed https://t.co/5oNZjgQOwg via @PGurus1
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 5, 2019
In another tweet, Swamy said, “PC along with other criminals in other cases will travel in police van all the way to Tihar.”
PC along with other criminals in other cases will travel in police van all the way to Tihar
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 5, 2019
Subramanian Swamy had first alleged that in 2006 a company controlled by Karti Chidambaram, the son of then Minister of Finance P Chidambaram, received a five-percent share of Aircel to get part of 40 billion paid by Maxis Communications for the 74-percent share of Aircel. According to Swamy, Chidambaram withheld Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance of the deal until his son received the five-percent share in Siva’s company, however, later investigations had revealed a much bigger conspiracy. Both Subramanian Swamy and P Chidambaram coming from the state of Tamil Nadu trace their history back to decades and with recent developments Subramanian Swamy’s efforts seem to be surely paying off.
Earlier, Subramanian Swamy had also written to the Prime Minister accusing officials of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) as well as some officials of the Finance Ministry of attempting to ‘save’ P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram. In the letter, Swamy had stated that the agencies had concrete evidence against the Chidambaram but was reluctant to take action based on the evidence. Subramanian Swamy had also pointed out that certain officials have been delaying the process by writing letters to the foreign nations, seeking further details.
Subramaniam Swamy had also come out in support of ED officer Rajeshwar Singh who was probing the case on agency’s behalf. “The players in the CBI massacre are about to suspend ED’s Rajeshwar so that he cannot file the chargesheet against PC. If so I will have no reason to fight the corrupt since my govt is hell bent on protecting them. I shall then withdraw from all the corruption cases I have filed,” he had said in a tweet.
The players in the CBI massacre are about to suspend ED’s Rajeshwar so that he cannot file the chargesheet against PC. If so I will have no reason to fight the corrupt since my govt is hell bent on protecting them. I shall then withdraw from all the corruption cases I have filed.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) October 24, 2018
Swamy had also urged the Prime Minister to reconsider the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the New RBI Governor and expressed his concerns regarding Das’ relations with P Chidambaram and had said, “Shaktikanta Das being appointed as RBI Governor is wrong, he has worked closely in corrupt activities with P Chidambaram and even tried to save him in court cases. I don’t know why this was done, I have written a letter to PM against this decision,” Swamy told news agency ANI.
Subramanian Swamy had also called for protection of Indrani Mukherjea who is the main approver for the investigative agencies regarding this case and had said, “Elements want to finish Indrani Mukherjee since she has on affidavit to ED said she gave bribe to BC for FIPB ok. Z security a must for her”.
Elements want to finish Indrani Mukherjee since she has on affidavit to ED said she gave bribe to BC for FIPB ok. Z security a must for her
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) February 21, 2018
Earlier in 2017, Swamy had hit out at Karti Chidambaram and said that Chidambaram family belongs in Tihar jail. “He (Karti) is a crook. He has no proper education, no occupation, how does he have so much wealth? It is all fraud. His father (P Chidambaram) does the illegal act and he (Karti) collects the money,” Swamy had told ANI. “Chidambaram’s wife Nalini also does the same. They are all family of crooks and they belong as a family in Tihar jail,” he added.
Swamy had made the remarks after the CBI told the Supreme Court that Karti was prevented from travelling abroad as he was allegedly closing his foreign bank accounts.
Subramanian Swamy has also kept the pressure alive on Congress which has openly come out in support of the corruption accused and claimed the action of investigative agencies to be under influence of the central government. However, Subramanian Swamy exposed these ‘concerns’ and alleged that P Chidambaram has been laundering money for the Gandhi family. However with CBI and ED moving ahead to seek custody of the missing former minister, Subramanian Swamy has kept the pressure up on administration to keep this mega scam heated and surely deserves the due credit for his persistence in this regard.
