CBI raids at Chidambaram, son Karti’s properties in Tamil Nadu

The CBI has raided former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram's residence in Chennai

By: News Desk |
May 16, 2017 9:48 am

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on May 16 raided former finance minister P Chidambaram’s residence in Chennai. The CBI team has also raided Chidambaram’s son Karti’s properties. According to initial media reports, the CBI is conducting raids across 8 locations in Chennai and 16 places across Tamil Nadu.

The CBI team has conducted a raid after a FIR was reportedly registered against Chidambaram, former media baron Peter Mukherjea and prime suspect in the Sheena Bora murder case, Indrani Mukherjea yesterday in connection with Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance, CNN News18 reported. The case dates back to 2008 when Peter Mukherjea who is one of the accused in the Sheena Bora murder case was the owner of INX media.

It is also being reported that Karti’s business partners have also come under the CBI lens. The investigation agency is also conducting searches in some places in Delhi, Noida and Chandigarh.

According to reports, Chidambaram and his son allegedly took a huge amount of money from the INX media for the FIPB approval and documents pertaining to the transaction was allegedly found during the previous search by ED. However, the ex-finance minister has rubbished the allegations and has claimed that the government was “using” the CBI to target his son.

“Government by using CBI and other agencies is targeting my son and his friends, the government wants to silence my voice. The government wants to stop me from writing, as it has tried to with leaders of opposition parties, journalists, columnists, NGOs and civil society,” he said in a statement.

In 2015, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax had searched the premises of Chidambaram’s son’s properties in connection with the Aircel-Maxis deal.

CBI raid at former union minister P Chidambaram’s residence in Chennai pic.twitter.com/1oGxTjVDXF

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2017

Meanwhile, Congress has termed the move as “politically motivated” and have asserted that Chidambaram was not involved in any wrongdoings. “Chidambaram has done nothing wrong, these raids are politically motivated,” Congress leader K R Ramasamy told the media.