The Congress on Saturday hit out at the Narendra Modi government over the investigations into the role of Karti Chidambaram, son of senior party leader P. Chidambaram, in the Aircel-Maxis case. The Congress accused the ruling dispensation of using investigating agencies to oppress, hound and intimidate its opponents.
“Persecution, vendetta and vilification of opposition leaders have become the 'sine qua non' of the current BJP government. Tragically, the CBI, ED and other investigating agencies have become captive puppets in the government's disgraceful malintent to oppress, hound and intimidate its opponents,” said Randeep Surjewala, head of the AICC Communications Department.
A day after senior leader and former Union Minister Chidambaram dared the CBI to question him rather than “harass” his son, the Congress said repeated persecution and scurrilous witch hunt of the family of Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case by the Modi government have crossed all proportions in complete negation of facts.
Surjewala said Chidambaram and his family are being hounded by the CBI and the ED in a malicious fashion despite the court having quashed proceedings in the case three years ago. “This is despite the fact that the original FIR made no mention of any family member of P. Chidambaram as also the fact that chargesheet and proceedings have been quashed by the Special Judge,” he said.
Giving the background of the case, Surjewala said the Aircel-Maxis transaction was approved by Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) in 2006. “Agencies did question Shri Chidambaram in the year 2014. FIPB officials were questioned. Agencies deliberately widened the ambit and questioned Shri Karti Chidambaram on 19.11.2014, but he categorically rejected the innuendoes and insinuations of knowledge or connection to Aircel-Maxis transaction,” he said.
A chargesheet was then filed against Maxis and the Maran brothers. By order dated 02.02.2017, the Special Judge has quashed the charges and terminated the proceedings.
The Congress has termed the investigation a diversionary tactic to take the attention of the people away from the government's “abject failures” on the core issues of unemployment, economic downslide, farm distress, demonetisation disaster and a repressive tax regime.
In a series of tweets on Friday, Chidambaram had said the CBI should question him rather than harass his son. He also accused the investigating agency of spreading misinformation.
Karti was called by the CBI for questioning in the Aircell-Maxis case on Thursday. He, however, did not appear before the agency.
