Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, arrested in the INX Media money laundering case, denied on Monday the Enforcement Directorate’s claim that he used the office of finance minister for personal gains and laundered the proceeds of crime, saying no material directly or indirectly linking him with the alleged offence has been put to him so far or placed before the court.
Chidambaram said the purpose of ED’s opposition to grant of bail is not to advance the cause of justice but to harm his health which has already suffered severe damage since August 21. He made the submissions in a rejoinder filed to the response of the ED on his bail plea in the money laundering case. The matter was listed for hearing on Monday before Justice Suresh Kait who fixed it for hearing on Wednesday. ED, in its written response has opposed the bail plea saying the gravity of offences allegedly committed does not entitle Chidambaram for the relief. In his rejoinder, Chidambaram denied ED’s claim that this is a case of economic offence which itself constitutes a class apart and is considered to be the gravest offence cutting to very root of purity and probity of public administration.
“It is stoutly denied that Chidambaram used the office of finance minister of the country for personal gains, personally, as well as in connivance with his co-conspirators and has laundered the proceedings of crime to conceal the tainted money,” it said.