ED raids: Target me directly, Chidambaram dares govt

NEW DELHI: Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday lashed out against the Centre for the joint I-T and ED raids. “If the government wishes to target me, they should do so directly, not harass friends of my son who carry on their business and have nothing to do with politics,” he said.
Chidambaram’s charge came soon after the news of raids on the two companies broke.“I am traveling and I have been informed about searches conducted on certain firms in Chennai allegedly linked to my son. We have made it clear, repeatedly, that no member of my family has any equity or economic interest in any of the firms that are being targeted. They are companies that are professionally managed and are capable of answering any questions that may be put to them by the authorities. I condemn the attempt to link them to my son and harass them on that ground.”
READ ALSO:
P Chidambaram accuses govt of malicious onslaught against family
“The agenda of the government is being implemented by an officer of the ED who has a pending dispute with the department of revenue, ministry of finance. Orders in his case were apparently passed during the term of my predecessor. He met me and wanted me to intervene in his favour. I declined and I told him that I cannot reverse orders that were issued during the term of my predecessor. The change of government has given him an opportunity to misuse his powers to harass my son and his friends,” Chidambaram alleged.
The BJP dismissed the charge of frame-up as “bizarre and paradoxical”. Party spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao told a news agency: “I have seen the statement made by the former FM. On the one hand, he categorically says that the firms being investigated or targeted have nothing to do with him or his family and that they have no interest in the two companies. On the other, he says he is feeling harassed. This is quite bizarre and paradoxical. Why is he issuing statements and feeling threatened if he and his family have nothing to do with the companies? If the companies have done no wrong, they have nothing to fear.”
Another spokesperson Nalin Kohli said Chidambaram should allow agencies to do their work and should not politicize the matter.
READ ALSO:
Enforcement Directorate, income tax department conduct raids on Karti Chidambaram's firms
Importantly, even Congress chose to keep mum on the charge of the former finance minister. Although former I&B minister Manish Tiwari seconded the charge of vendetta against the government, Congress sources indicated that the party was reluctant to take a position in the case. “Our spokespersons may restrict themselves to the theme of witch-hunt and frame-ups but may not get into the merits of this particular case at this juncture,” a senior party source indicated.
An official source said the ED team could not find crucial documents at the premises of the two companies. “The documents were subsequently recovered from the premises linked to a person who is not officially linked to the two companies,” the source said.
The Advantage Strategic Consulting is under investigation also in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case linked to the 2G spectrum scam.