New Delhi, September 3: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused relief to former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in the INX Media case. The apex court once again extended custody of the former Finance Minister. Chidambaram will be in CBI custody until further hearing on  Friday. The Supreme Court also ordered the status quo to be maintained in the INX Media case. However, the court ignored SG Tushar Mehta's plea to the Supreme Court to "recall" the protection order and send Chidambaram to Tihar jail in Delhi. P Chidambaram's Anticipatory Bail Plea in INX Media Case Rejected by Delhi High Court, Former Finance Minister Likely to Approach Supreme Court.

The apex court asked Chidambaram’s counsel not to press for the interim bail plea, filed before the trial court on Monday and scheduled to be heard today, till September 5. A bench of justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna said it would on Thursday hear Chidambaram’s plea in which he has challenged the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him as well as the subsequent trial court’s orders remanding him in the CBI custody. P Chidambaram Issued Notice by CBI in INX Media Case, Told to Appear 'Within Two Hours' After Delhi High Court Rejects Congress Leader's Anticipatory Bail.

While posting the matter for hearing on Thursday, the bench said: “We are conscious that we should not usurp the jurisdiction of the concerned trial court”.

At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, moved an application seeking recall of the apex court’s Monday order. He said that based on the order, Chidambaram’s counsel had moved interim bail plea before the trial court.

Mehta said Chidambaram’s counsel pressed before the trial court that the interim bail plea should be decided on Monday itself and the trial judge issued notice to the CBI asking it to file response within 24 hours.

“The matter is listed for hearing today before the trial court at 3.30 pm. Less than 24 hour notice was given to the CBI to respond to the interim bail plea which was filed 13 days after his arrest. This should not be the procedure,” he told the bench.

After hearing Mehta’s submissions, the bench said the interim bail plea be listed for hearing before the trial court on September 5 and the apex court will hear Chidambaram’s plea on that day itself. “The present status will continue till then. CBI’s custody will be extended till day after tomorrow (September 5),” the bench said. Mehta then told the bench: “If we don’t take his custody then the law must take its course. We don’t need his custody.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2019 03:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).