Chennai: Chidambaram tears into Centre over CBI raids

With the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raiding the Chidambaram residence here today in connection with the FIPB approval in several cases, the senior Congress leader and former union minister lashed out at the Centre, accusing it of using national agencies to target his son.

"FIPB approval is granted in hundreds of cases. The five Secretaries who constitute the FIPB, the officials of the FIPB Secretariat and the competent authority in each case are the public officials. There is no allegation against any of them. There is no allegation against me," he said in a statement.

Asserting that every case was processed according to law, Chidambaram added that the approval was granted or refused in accordance with the recommendations of the FIBP consisting of five Secretaries to the Government of India.

"The government, using the CBI and other agencies, is targeting my son and his friends. The government's aim is to silence my voice and stop me from writing, as it has tried to do in the cases of leaders of Opposition parties, journalists, columnists, NGOs and civil society organizations. All I will say is, I shall continue to speak and write," the senior Congress leader added.

Meanwhile, the CBI is expected to raid Chidambaram's native place in Karaikudi also.

The raids are happening at around 14 different locations in Chennai and also in the national capital in connection with the criminal misconduct in grant of FIPB approval.