Chidambaram Hits Out at Government as Firm Linked to Son Karti is Raided
NEW DELHI: If the government wants to target him, it should do so directly, said former Union minister P Chidambaram today as raids were conducted on two firms in Chennai, one of which had a link to his son Karti Chidambaram.
The raids were conducted by the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department on Advantage Strategic Consulting, a company with which Karti Chidambaram was associated earlier.
“If the government wishes to target me, they should do so directly, not harass friends of my son who carry on their own businesses and have nothing to do with politics,” P Chidambaram said in a statement. “My family and I are quite prepared to face the malicious onslaught launched by the government.”
In August, two directors of the company had been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case and charges of money laundering.
Sources said there was allegedly a financial transaction of more than Rs. 200 crore between these two companies and Aircel Maxis just before clearance came from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board or FIPB for the Aircel merger.
The whole matter is under scrutiny as part of the overall probe into the 2G scam, which the Supreme Court is monitoring.
“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,” the former union minister said. “They are companies that are professionally managed and are capable of answering any question 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,” he said.
Earlier this year, there were allegations that Karti Chidambaram was linked to the Rajasthan ambulance scam. The Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a case naming him as one of the accused.
Several senior leaders, like former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, former Union minister Sachin Pilot, son of former Union minister Vayalar Ravi, Ravi Krishna, and the then state health minister, Duru Mirza had also been named in the case. Karti Chidambaram had denied the allegations.
Read full article: NDTV
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