A special CBI court today dismissed a plea by former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, seeking to surrender in the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering case.

Mr. Chidambaram is currently lodged in Tihar jail in the INX Media corruption case by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar rejected his plea.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) yesterday told the court that Chidambaram’s arrest was necessary in the INX Media money laundering case and it will be done at an appropriate time.

ED had told the court that since Chidambaram was already in the judicial custody in the CBI case, he was not in a position to tamper with the evidence.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had argued that certain aspects were required to be probed before his custodial interrogation. He said the agency requires to interrogate six persons before his custodial interrogation and it was investigating money laundering which reaches beyond this country.