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I shall neither bend nor break: Chidambaram

Kashmir Times. Dated: 1/14/2018 12:54:44 PM

NEW DELHI, Jan 13 (Agencies): With Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducting searches at Karti Chidambaram’s premises in New Delhi and Chennai in connection with the INX Media money laundering case, former finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said nothing was found during the raids and the “panchnamas speak for themselves.”
Issuing a statement, Chidambaram said that there was no FIR against him or his son in the Aircel-Maxis case and hence, the ED had no jurisdiction or power to conduct the raids.
“Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued notices to the ED in cases where the submission is that the ED has no jurisdiction to conduct any investigation in the so-called Aircel-Maxis case. The ED was asked to file its reply and the cases were adjourned to January 30, 2018. There is no predicate scheduled offence. Hence the ED has no jurisdiction. Yet the ED, at the instance of the government, continues to misuse its powers,” he said.
“I belong to the opposition party. Let the government misuse the ED. I shall neither bend nor break and I shall continue to speak and write,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress media-incharge Randeep Surjewala said that the raids have once again exposed the continuing vicious vendetta unleashed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi -led government against Congress and other opposition leaders.
“Stark truth is that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and his government are using agencies like ED/CBI as captive puppets to settle political scores and intimidate political opponents. In fact, ‘Raid Raj’ has become the ‘DNA’ of Modi government,” he said.
The Congress spokesman further said that none of the party leaders will be cowed down or bow in face of such malicious and willful attempts to browbeat, bulldoze or overawe.
“Our resolve to raise people’s issues and hold the government and Prime Minister accountable on policy and promises become stronger with such spiteful and hostile onslaught to suppress the voice of opposition,” Surjewala said.
“It is now apparent that the BJP government is ruffled by a series of political, administrative and judicial reversals and is using these raids to draw the attention of the country from its abject failures,” he added.
The ED had on Thursday issued fresh summons to Chidambaram’s son for January 16 after he skipped his appearance before it in connection with the money laundering case. In May last year, the ED had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Karti and others.
The INX media money laundering case pertains to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 by P Chidambaram.