The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Congress leader P. Chidambaram in the INX Media money-laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate.

The top court said Chidambaram would not leave the country without prior permission of the court and neither try to influence the witnesses nor tamper with evidence.

The apex court set aside the Delhi High Court's November 15 verdict denying bail to the former Union finance minister, who has been in custody for 105 days since August 21 when he was arrested by the CBI in the INX Media corruption case.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice R. Banumathi, granted the relief to the 74-year-old Congress leader on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties of the like amount.

The bench, also comprising Justices A. S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, restrained Chidambaram from giving any press interview or making any statements with regard to the case.

The Congress welcomed the top court's decision to grant bail to Chidambaram.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, however, said 'justice delayed is justice denied', adding, 'this should have been granted much earlier'.

The ED had arrested Chidambaram on October 16 in the money-laundering case.

The top court had on October 22 granted bail to him in the INX Media corruption case lodged by the CBI.