Central agencies want to keep my father in custody for long period: Karti Chidambaram

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Thursday accused the central agencies of "bogus investigation" and working with an "agenda" to keep his father P Chidambaram in custody after a court today sent the former union minister to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate in the INX Media money laundering case till October 24.

"This is a bogus investigation. Their agenda is not a genuine investigation but to keep him (P Chidambaram) in custody as soon as it is permissible in the law. There is no ostensible purpose than to keep him in custody," Karti told reporters.

He alleged that the ED was presenting "the same bogey of accounts and shell companies" before courts to seek the custody of the 74-year-old leader.

"My father and I are MPs and our assets and liabilities are in the public domain," said Karti. 

P Chidambaram, a former union minister, was arrested by the ED on Wednesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 

A special court here sent to the ED custody till October 24 on Thursday. Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar, while sending Chidambaram to the custody, allowed an application filed by Chidambaram seeking western toilet, home-cooked food, medicine and a separate cell.

In August, the senior Congress leader was booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the charges of corruption in the same case. 

In the CBI case, the court extended his judicial custody in Tihar jail till October 24.

The case pertains to an FIR registered by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 by Chidambaram when he was the Finance Minister.ED is investigating the alleged offence of money laundering that arose out of the FIR.