Modi government using CBI, ED to target Chidambaram, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi during his tour to his constituency Wayanad, Kerala. Pic/Twitter Rahul Gandhi

On Wednesday, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government of using the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and "sections of a spineless media" to character assassinate the Rajya Sabha member and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

Gandhi's remarks came after the CBI and ED visited VCongress leader Chidambaram's residence four times after the Delhi High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media money laundering case on Tuesday. However, the agencies are yet to arrest Chidambaram as there is no trace of him.

The Wayanad MP took to social networking site Twitter and said that he strongly condemns the disgraceful misuse of power. After Chidambaram's bail plea was rejected, a team of four members from CBI and ED visited Chidambaram's residence twice on Wednesday and asked his staff about his whereabouts.

On Tuesday night, a team of CBI pasted a notice at Chidambaram's residence asking him to appear before the investigation officer "within two hours". After the Delhi HC decision of rejecting the bail plea, P Chidambaram and his lawyers will now move to the Supreme Court on Wednesday in order to challenge the HC order.

Also Read: INX media case: HC rejects Chidambaram's anticipatory bail plea

Senior lawyer Kapil Sharma, who is representing Chidambaram said that Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has asked them to move the senior-most judge of the top court. In a major setback, the Delhi HC while announcing its verdict said that granting of bail in cases like instant one will send a wrong message to the society. The Delhi HC order said that the petitioner in the case, P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister at the time and he had given FDI clearances to INX Media group for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore.

CBI is investigating P Chidambaram's role in the INX Media case, alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance which was granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during his tenure as Finance Minister under the Congress government.

On the other hand, the ED is probing the money laundering case which it lodged in 2018.

Also Read: INX media case: P Chidambaram to challenge HC anticipatory bail plea rejection in SC

With inputs from IANS

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