Justice Sunil Gaur, who rejected the former union minister P Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail plea that sent the former union minister into CBI custody, was on Wednesday appointed chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Gaur retired as a judge of the Delhi High Court on August 23, just days after he denied bail to Chidambaram, and called him a “kingpin or key conspirator” in the INX Media case. Among the other memorable quotes he made on the occasion were”
“It is a classic case of money laundering. Chidambaram was evasive in replies to probe agencies when he was under protective cover given by the court.”
- “Court is of prima facie opinion that custodial interrogation of Chidambaram is required for an effective investigation in the case.”
- “Granting bail in such case will send a wrong message to the society.”
- “The facts persuade me to decline pre-arrest bail to the petitioner.”
The senior Congress leader’s role had come under the scanner of vari
The former finance minister was accused of facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media under the United Progress Alliance government in 2007.
Gaur also heard another high-profile case involving Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s nephew Ratul Puri, who is an accused in a money laundering case related to the AgustWestland chopper scam.
PTI reported that in the National Herald case, Gaur had ordered clearing the decks to prosecute Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He had also delivered a judgment last year, ordering Associated Journals Limited, the publisher of Congress mouthpiece National Herald, to empty its New Delhi office. The order was, in April this year, put on hold by the Supreme Court.
–India Legal Bureau