CBI raids Chidambaram’s residence, premises of son Karti’s friends and relatives. Chidambaram said these were politically motivated attacks, which will not scare him into silence. I will continue to write and my voice cannot be silenced, said P Chidambaram reacting to the raids.

Karti Chidambaram, son of Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, was the centre of focus as CBI sleuths came calling at his home, premises of his friends and relatives, to search for incriminating documents linking him with some kickbacks allegedly received for getting FIPB clearances for INX media when his father was finance minister.

Junior Chidambaram, however, declared that he was innocent and had nothing done illegal or was hiding anything. After seven hours of search of his premises, the CBI officials did not find anything, Karti Chidambaram told media persons shortly after he was driven to his office in the neighborhood by the CBI sleuths.

He was to be interrogated there as well, where some documents have been seized, according to sources.

For the Chidambaram’s the day on Tuesday began on a harrowing note with CBI sleuths landing at this Nungambakkam residence early morning at around 6 a.m. and were present looking for documents and papers till 1.30 p.m. Shortly afterwards, as some CBI officials sat into vehicles, Karti Chidambaram said “they have not found anything at my residence and they have found nothing against me. It is politically motivated act, a political revenge.” This action is only to malign the name of my father he said.

“I will give a detailed statement later,” he said before sitting in a car to head out to his office, along with some CBI officials.

In the morning a teal of 11 CBI officials reached the residence of Chidambaram. Raids were also carried out in several locations in Chennai, Karaikudi, Delhi and Noida.

According to sources, 17 locations in Chennai, Karaikudi, Delhi and Noida were being searched by CBI sleuths in this connection.

The CBI raids come close on the heels of Enforcement directorate investigations into allegations of wrong doing by Karti Chidambaram. He is facing FEMA violation charges and also accused of money laundering.

Tuesday morning raids, sources said were in connection with FIPB clearances given to INX, a media company.

Former Union Finance Minister dismissed the allegations as of no substance. “The government, using 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,” he said.

In a statement issued on Tuesday he said “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. “

“Every case was processed according to law and approval was granted or refused in accordance with the recommendations of the FIBP consisting of five Secretaries to the Government of India,” the former finance minister said.