Government misusing ED: Chidambaram

As the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided his and his son's residences, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Saturday accused the government of misusing the probe agency and asserted that he would not bend or break and would "continue to speak and write".

He said the ED found nothing in its searches at his residence in Delhi as well as his family's residence in Chennai.

"The panchnamas (seizure notes) speak for themselves," the former union minister said in a statement.

He said the Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the ED in cases where the submission is that the probe agency had 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 January 30.

"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."

--IANS

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