ED custody of K Chidambaram extended

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told special judge NK Malhotra that Bhaskararaman was not cooperating in the investigation which led to his arrested unlike Karti who appeared before the agency and cooperated with the investigation. The submission was made by ED prosecutor Rajeev Awasthi in opposition to the CA's contention that his arrest was "gross abuse of power" and his subsequent custody was not required and the other accused persons, including Karti, were still not arrested. "Karti appeared before the agency and cooperated in the investigation. That is why we did not arrest him but the present accused was not cooperating," Awasthi said. The agency sought seven more days of custody of Bhaskararaman, who was produced before the court on expiry of five-day ED custody, saying there were contradictions between his latest statements.