INX Media case: Chidambaram gets bail in CBI case, to remain in ED custody

The Indian Express
New Delhi, Oct 22: The Supreme Court Tuesday granted bail to Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media case. The apex court said Chidambaram, 74, could be released from Tihar if he is not wanted in any other case. It added that its judgment would not have any bearing on any other proceedings. Chidambaram is currently in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate which arrested him last week.
A bench headed by Justice R Banumathi and comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy directed Chidambaram to deposit his passport and said he could not leave the country without obtaining permission from the Court. It also ordered him to furnish a bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties.
Chidambaram had challenged a September 30 order by the Delhi High Court denying him bail in the CBI case.
Chidambaram, who is in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), is being probed for alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007. Chidambaram was Union finance minister at the time.
In May 2017, the CBI had registered an FIR in the case. The ED later lodged a money laundering case in the matter.
Last week, the CBI filed a chargesheet on the alleged corruption in the case. It named named Chidambaram, his son Karti and 12 others including former bureaucrats of the Ministry of Finance. It said Chidambaram, as Finance Minister, had “demanded illegal gratification… in the form of overseas payoffs for himself” and guarantees for “the business interest of his son” in exchange for FIPB approval of INX Media’s FDI proposals. Chidambaram has denied any wrongdoing, and rejected the charges levelled at him by the two agencies.
Kartarpur corridor agreement to be signed on October 24
The Indian Express
New Delhi, Oct 22:  The signing date of Kartarpur corridor pact has been shifted from October 23 to October 24. The Ministry of External Affairs had on Monday said that it was ready to sign the pact on October 23. But now, it has now been delayed by a day, sources told The Indian Express.
The agreement is likely to be signed by Home ministry officials from the Indian side at the zero point so that the corridor can be opened before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on November 12. India has been urging Pakistan to reconsider its stand to levy service fee of $20 on pilgrims.
In a statement issued on Monday, the MEA said: “While agreeing to sign the agreement, the Government of Pakistan has been once again urged to reconsider its insistence to levy service fee on pilgrims. India would be ready to amend the agreement accordingly at any time.”
The move comes days after the first significant escalation on the LoC since the dilution of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Army targeting several terrorist launchpads in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Trouble in Tripura CPM, 15 district council members move against their chief
Hindustan Times
Agartala, Oct 22: In signs of trouble within the Communist Party of India (Marxist), 15 members of Tripura Tribal areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) on Monday sought to move a vote of no-confidence against the chief executive member Radhacharan Debbarma, who is from the same party, stating that the Council had failed to fulfil people’s needs.
In a signed letter, the fifteen ADC members wrote, “a meeting of the District Council, TTAADC, may kindly be convened for removal of members of the existing executive committee of the TTAADC on a vote of no-confidence under sub-Rule (1)of Rule 159 of the TTAADC (Constitution, Election and Conduct of Business)Rules, 1985.”
“The existing Executive Committee, TTAADC fails to fulfil the minimum needs of the people living in TTAADC areas,” said the letter that was given to secretary of the ADC. The copy of the letter was also forwarded to Governor Ramesh Bais and chairman of TTAADC Ranjit Debbarma.
CPM leader Rakhal Majumder, in a press communiqué, said that the BJP-IPFT government was trying to halt the activities of the ADC administration. The BJP, with the intention to take control of the ADC , is involved in the conspiracy and they are believed to have lured few ADC members
The fifteen members who signed the letter include Pratiram Tripura, Joy Bahadur Jamatia, Sanatanu Jamatia, Birendra Reang, Paresh Chandra Sarkar, Dhananjoy Debbarma, madhumati Debbarma, Matilal Suklabaidya, Gurupada Debbarma, Sanjib Marak, S Mog, Khagendra G Reang, Sandhya Rani Chakma, Joykishore Jamatia and Badarbum Halam. The polls to 28-member strong ADC are scheduled in 2020. The CPM won all the seats in 2015 ADC polls.