Government has launched a ‘malicious onslaught’ against my family: P Chidambaram

New Delhi: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday accused the government of a “malicious onslaught” launched against his family.

“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…My family and I are quite prepared to face the malicious onslaught launched by the government,” he said in a statement shortly after reports of IT and ED searches on some premises connected to Karti and his friends.

The senior Congress leader said that he was travelling and had been informed about raids conducted on certain firms in Chennai  which are allegedly linked to his son Karti.

“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.” He added that the companies are professionally managed and can provide answers to suitable authorities. “I condemn the attempt to link them to my son and harass them on that ground,” he said.

Chidambaram alleged that the agenda of the government is being implemented by an officer of the Enforcement Directorate 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,” the former Finance Minister said.

PTI