Delhi: The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday got Indian former finance minister P Chidambaram’s custody till August 26 to interrogate the former finance minister in the INX Media case, with a special court observing that the “enormity of the alleged money involved in this case and the persons who are accused” required an in-depth investigation.

“I am of the view that police custody remand of accused P Chidambaram is justified… It is impressed upon the investigating agency that it will ensure that the personal dignity of the accused is not violated in any manner,” special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar said after listening to an impassioned plea by Chidambaram that he had cooperated with CBI, as well as arguments of Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta who represented CBI and the former finance minister’s counsel— senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The SG had made a strong pitch for a five-day remand of Chidambaram arguing that his interrogation was required to map the money trail in the case concerning allegations of bribery in the sanction of foreign investment proposals when the senior Congress leader, in his role as the then finance minister, headed the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).

“The allegations made against the accused are serious and there cannot be a dispute with the fact that a detailed and in-depth investigation is required,” said the special judge.

“The allegations of payment being made to the accused in the years 2007-08 and 2008-09 are specific and categorical. The trail of money, if so paid, is to be ascertained,” the judge observed.

After the arguments had concluded, Sibal and Singhvi sought the court’s permission for their client to make a statement. Although SG Mehta raised strong objections, the special judge allowed Chidambaram, who stood in the box, to speak for a minute.

Chidambaram rebutted CBI’s charge of non-cooperation with investigation and said the court should call for the transcripts of his interrogation on June 6, 2018 . “Please look at the questions and answers. There are no questions which I haven’t answered. The allegation of 5 million (USD) and 4,50,000 (UDS) was never put to me at any time. They asked me if I had a foreign bank account to which I said ‘no’. They asked if my son had a foreign bank account, so I said ‘yes’,” he said.

Chidambaram, the first Union finance minister to have been arrested, was brought to the special court on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg amid tight security. Though the court’s order marked the second consecutive setback to him, he tried to appear unfazed, flashing even a ‘thumbs up’ sign while being taken back to the CBI headquarters.