Senior Congress leader Chidambaram’s custody extended till Oct 3

In a major jolt to former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, the special CBI judge extended his judicial custody till October 3 on Thursday.

Chidambaram, who has been lodged in Tihar jail since September 5, when the court sent him to 14 days judicial custody in the INX media case, was brought to the court room earlier on Thursday.

Opposing the CBI's judicial custody extension application, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Chidambaram said, “CBI application does not give reasons for extension of judicial custody and the accused (Chidambaram) has already been in custody for 14 days.”

During the court proceedings, the former Union Minister P Chidambaram’s lawyers told a Delhi Court today that he had neither a chair nor a pillow at the Tihar prison, because of which he had "developed back pain" petitioning for his medical examination.

"There were chairs outside the room, I used to sit there during the day, now that too is withdrawn. Because I was using it, they have taken it away, now even the warden is without a chair," Mr Chidambaram said, interjecting after his lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi made a case for his release.

"He had a chair till three days ago. Now there is no chair and no pillow either," said Mr Singhvi.

The government said it was a "small issue" and there had been no chair in the cell in the first place.

"It's a small issue. No need to sensationalise it. It's a petty issue. There was no chair in his room from beginning," said the government's lawyer Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General.

A Twitter user reacted sharply to the developments:

Her thread went on to read:

“He simply endorsed a decision previously signed by 12 senior IAS officers including Subba Rao who went on to become RBI governor. He didn’t negate nor did he overrule. Why are none of the 12 senior IAS officers arrested or being charged of any crime supposedly committed?

And the pettiness is to an extent where he is even denied a pillow, chair and a letter to his banker seeking a statement.

I say it again, Mr Chidambaram is paying a price for holding those in power accountable and speaking the truth. Trust me he will emerge stronger and an even taller leader after this is over. I toured Maharajganj and people I never though would, were talking about him and the injustice being meted out. So go ahead @BJP4India govt and it’s brilliant leaders keep at it. You will have only yourselves to blame. Because truth shall prevail.”

Incidentally, on September 15, legal news website Bar & Bench had carried a report questioning Chidambaram’s custody, headlined The P Chidambaram Bail Saga: Are the Courts writing a new law?