Congress backs Chidambaram, says Modi Govt taking out political grudges

A day after Congress leader P. Chidambaram said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should question him instead of harassing his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case, his party came out in his support and said the Modi government is taking out political rivalry out of the matter.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government is taking out political grudges out of the matter instead of bringing justice to the case.

"This matter is getting murkier day by day. I think taking out political grudges is apparently more important here than bringing justice to the case," Dikshit said.

Another Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Modi government is misusing the agencies to harass the grand old party leaders.

"We agree with P. Chidambaram completely. If any questions have to be asked why is BJP government shy of asking those questions from Chidambaram. Does it not show the double standards and malice to prosecute the family of Chidambaram. His son Karthi is being repeatedly harassed by successive notices which have no meaning, content and foundation. The Congress condemns this false prosecution of Karthi. It's time for Modi ji to wake up and stop misusing government agencies to prosecute the families of Congress leaders," Surjewala told ANI.

Chidambaram on Friday said the CBI should question him instead of harassing his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram accused the probe agency of spreading misinformation.

He said in Aircel-Maxis, he had approved minutes after the recommendation by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).

"Sad CBI spreading misinformation. In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB officials have recorded statements before CBI that approval given was valid," Chidambaram tweeted.

"In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB recommended and I approved minutes. CBI should question me and not harass Karti Chidambaram," he added.

The CBI had called Karti for questioning on Thursday in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father Chidambaram was the finance minister.

The Aircel-Maxis deal refers to a series of allegations of kickbacks in the telecom sector, which was part of the wider 2G scam that engulfed the UPA regime.

In 2011, former Aircel head C. Sivasankaran complained to the CBI that he was being forced by then telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran to sell Aircel to the Malaysia-based Maxis Communications group owned by T. Ananda Krishnan.