P Chidambaram spends night in CBI HQ, inauguration of which was attended by him

After his arrest in a corruption case, former finance minister P Chidambaram spent Wednesday night in the same CBI headquarters the inauguration of which was attended by him nearly eight years ago. In 2011, the imposing glass and concrete structure became the new abode of the agency which used to work for decades from congested chambers in the CGO complex. The building was inaugurated on April 30, 2011 by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Days before the inauguration, the CBI had arrested senior Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi in CWG scam but he was not kept at the new building because of the function. The event was attended by Chidambaram who was the then Union home minister, law minister M Veerappa Moily, human resource development minister Kapil Sibal. They were taken around by the then CBI director A P Singh who showed them the facilities in the building, including the guest house in which Chidambaram is lodged.

Some officials in the agency, on a lighter note, claim that "vastu" of the building is not right as it is believed to have been constructed on a burial ground.


Since its inauguration, all CBI chiefs have been caught in one or another controversy. Singh and his successor Ranjit Sinha were even booked by the agency. While Anil Sinha had to face criticism for the escape of businessman Vijay Mallya, Alok Verma was locked in a bitter battle with his deputy and was removed unceremoniously.