Union home and finance minister P Chidambaram was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation after a night of high-voltage drama that saw CBI officers climbing walls to enter Chidambaram’s home. Chidambaram was arrested in the INX Media case, in which he has been accused of wrongdoing, money laundering and misuing the post of finance minister.

Chidambaram was formally arrested at the CBI headquarters after being taken into custody from his Jor Bagh home. He will be kept at the CBI headquarters tonight and will likley be produced at CBI Rouse Avenue court on Thursday morning.

Earlier, Chidambaram, who had not been seen in public since Tuesday evening, made a dramatic appearance at a press conference at the Congress headquarters, and asked probe agencies to “respect” the law and wait till Friday when the Supreme Court is supposed to hear his interim bail plea.

Facing arrest after the Supreme Court refused immediate relief in the INX media case, Chidambaram put up a strong defence of himself and his family members, saying none of them have been accused of any offense by the probe agencies.

“I am aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law,” he said rejecting allegations that he was evading investigating agencies. He said he was working with his lawyers through the last night, preparing his papers or his bail application.

Inputs from India Today