ED raids on residences of Mr P Chidambaram reflect 'vicious vendetta' of Modi govt: Cong

New Delhi: Terming the raids by the enforcement directorate on the residences of party leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi and Chennai as reflection of 'vicious vendetta' of the Narendra Modi government against Congress and other opposition leaders, the Congress on Saturday said it would not be cowed down in face of such malicious and willful attempts to browbeat, bulldoze or overawe.

Racting to the ED raid, Mr Chidambaram, asserting that there was no FIR against him or his son in the Aircel Maxis case, charged the Government of misusing the ED and said he would "neither bend nor break" and would continue to speak and write.

'Hurriedly conducted Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raids at the Delhi and Chennai residences of former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader, P. Chidambaram have once again exposed the continuing vicious vendetta unleashed by Modi 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.

We again reiterate that Congress leaders will not be cowed down or bow in face of such malicious and willful attempts to browbeat, bulldoze or overawe,'AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said in a statement. Mr Surjewala said that the ED raids were an attempt by the Modi government to divert attention from its failures.

'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,' Mr Surjewala said adding that the resolve of the Congress to raise people’s issues and hold the government and Prime Minister accountable on policy and promises would become stronger with such attempts to suppress the voice of opposition.

'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,' Mr Surjewala said.In a statement on the ED raid, Mr Chidambaram said, 'this morning, the Enforcement Directorate searched my residence in Delhi as well as my family's residence in Chennai. Nothing was found.

The panchnamas speak for themselves.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 30 Jan 2018'.

Charging the Government of misusing the ED, Mr Chidambaram said,'there is no FIR against me or my son in the Aircel-Maxis case. 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. 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.'

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday raided the residence of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram at five places in Delhi and Chennai, an official source confirmed here.The search was conducted in connection with an investigation into the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval in the Aircel-Maxis case.The ED had issued fresh summons to Karti Chidambaram in INX media case on January 16 after he skipped his appearance before ED on January 11.(UNI)